


The Magic of Science

by Unknown_Weeb



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Best Friends, Book Signing, Breakfast, Couch Cuddles, Gen is a ball of anxiety, Interviews, M/M, Observatory Date, Podcast, Sleepovers, Sleepy Cuddles, Stars, Talk Shows, Time Skips, Touring, naps
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:06:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24456415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unknown_Weeb/pseuds/Unknown_Weeb
Summary: Ishigami Senku is a well known scientist, and Asagiri Gen is a world famous mentalist.Both go about their daily lives, living out their dream jobs and achieving fame they never dared think about.How do two of the most famous people in Japan interact together when their paths cross?Especially when they're fans of each other.
Relationships: Asagiri Gen/Ishigami Senkuu
Comments: 154
Kudos: 291





	1. An Interesting Interview

**Author's Note:**

> Just feel like I have to state this, but I do not encourage underage drinking of any sort. The legal drinking age in Japan is 20 btw.  
> But, besides that, I hope you enjoyed this!

Movie nights always seemed to end the same, indecision about a film, or just boredom from re-watching the same few favourites. It was fun, and always lightened up any depressing atmosphere, but it grew boring and tiresome.  
And so, Gen had an idea to stop the repetition of movie nights with his closest friend, and housemate, Ukyo.  
"Let's watch some shitty talk shows!" He piped up, watching Ukyo flick through Netflix almost like a chore at this point.

"What?" Ukyo was a little shocked by Gen's sudden interest in talk shows, of any kind. Gen had always stated how interviews and talk shows were uninteresting. Gen offered the man a smirk, holding his hand out for the remote. Ukyo handed it to him with a sigh, standing up from his position on the floor and stretching his arms out. "Do you want a drink?" He asked, heading towards the kitchen area of the open-living planned apartment.

"Sure, do we have any wine, Ukyo-chan?" Gen sung, leaning his head over the back of the sofa to watch Ukyo. The white haired man glared playfully at him. "Don't give me that look!" Gen pouted with a huff, lifting his head back up to escape Ukyo's eyes.  
He began to flick through channel after channel, soon settling on an interview with some young scientists. All but one had already finished their ten minute interview, and Gen paused it for when Ukyo got back.

"Y'know, if you just waited four months you could buy your own alcohol." Ukyo muttered as he re-joined Gen on the sofa, handing him a glass of wine. "Instead of always pinching mine. While underage!" He added with a smirk, nudging Gen's shoulder.

"I know, Ukyo-chan! But four months is so far away." He sighed dramatically, lifting the glass to his lips with a sly smile. "Besides, who could say no to some free wine?" He added, before taking a sip of the red in the glass.

Ukyo only rolled his eyes, pulling his legs onto the sofa and resting them across Gen's own before taking a sip of his own wine. "So, what are we watching?" He asked, his eyes locking onto the large, flat-screen tv that hung on the wall.

Gen hit play, letting the actual show itself answer Ukyo's question. "Welcome back!" The presenter announced, smiling brightly and waving at the camera as the live audience clapped enthusiastically.  
Both of the men groaned, but found themselves chuckling at the stupidity of these types of shows. It was a publicity stunt, or to give someone their fifteen minutes of fame. It wasn't even a good fifteen minutes either. Just some lame interview that was broadcasted on tv. No one really watched this stuff, and the audience was only there because they were paid to be. At least, that's how Gen and Ukyo thought about it. "Now, our last guest of the evening is actually the youngest man to launch a home-made rocket into space. Exciting, right?" The man in the suit cheered, and the audience clapped again, almost like someone just hit a button on a sound board. "Please welcome Ishigami Senku!" Again, that robotic applause sounded, accompanied by the presenter too.

A second later, Gen tensed up. A man with platinum blond hair that had been tipped green walked out onto the stage. His eyes scanned over the audience, taking in the environment quickly as he walked towards the presenter. The two men shook hands, and both took a seat.  
Gen felt a nudge at his side, and snapped his attention towards the bare foot Ukyo was prodding his ribcage with. "What's got you all shaken up?" He asked, concern written on his face.

"Oh, nothing Ukyo-chan." Gen mumbled, curiously watching the man known as 'Ishigami Senku'. His hair was tied into a loose and messy, but absolutely adorable, bun. He had a pretty pale complexion, probably from not going out much, Gen thought. But what really drew Gen in was the shifting of his crimson eyes, the fidgeting with his hands, as if he didn't know what to do with them. Gen could tell he was nervous, and in all honesty, he couldn't blame the scientist.

Ukyo rolled his eyes before digging his toe into Gen's ribs again, earning a yelp from him. "What's up?" Ukyo asked again, this time more serious. "Do you know him?" He added, gesturing to the tv.

With a heavy sigh, Gen shook his head. "No, it's nothing like that." He mumbled, lifting his wine back to his lips. When he had finished the glass, in one go, he turned to Ukyo and crossed his legs. Ukyo watched him intently with a furrowed brow, awaiting the mentalist to speak. "It's just... I'm nearly twenty years old, Ukyo. I've done basically nothing with my life, and yet this kid can somehow launch a _home-made_ rocket into actual space?" He glanced at Ukyo before flopping back against the end of the sofa with another heavy sigh. "I graduated university with a degree in both Sociology and Psychology, and what do I have to show for it? A stupid book that's probably never going to get published, that's what!" He ranted, covering his face with his hands and letting out a stress-fueled groan.

Ukyo watched his friend sadly, and placed his glass on the coffee table. "Gen, you've poured a lot of time and effort into this book, I know that. _You_ know that. It might not get published first try, but that's why you adapt it and try again. I'm sure that's what he done. Nothing goes right the first time, and if it does, future generations and even our future selves have always been able to make it better." He smiled kindly, offering Gen a hand and pulling him back into a seated position. "Just... give yourself a break. You're _only_ nineteen. Cut yourself some slack and have a bit of fun. Don't let your dream job turn into a nightmare."

Gen couldn't stop the smile that graced his lips, and he nodded sheepishly. "Trust you to snap me out of it." He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I'm glad I have a friend like you." He added, standing up.

"Anytime." Ukyo smiled brightly. "Maybe next time I'll pour freezing cold water on you, just to get a good reaction." He smirked, watching as Gen headed for the kitchen.

"Don't you dare." Gen called in response, going to the fridge and getting out the bottle Ukyo had opened. He bought it back over to the lounge area, practically flopping back onto the sofa once he had put the bottle down.

Ukyo rolled his eyes, leaning forward to grab his bottle of wine and top up his glass. "Anyway, getting back on track: doesn't the name Ishigami sound familiar?" He asked, furrowing his brows.

"Uh, I don't-"

"Oh! I know!" Ukyo cut his friend off, bouncing in his seat as he picked up his phone. "Ishigami... Ishi- here we go." He held the phone between himself and Gen, showing a wikipedia page of someone named 'Ishigami Byakuya'. "Ishigami Byakuya was sent up to the ISS about a week ago, he was accompanied by a man named Shamil and the international pop singer, Miss Lillian Weinberg." Ukyo mumbled, his eyes scanning across the page.

Gen hummed in response, also reading what Ukyo had shown him. "Are they related? Scroll down." He asked, and Ukyo obliged. "There!" Gen spotted the name 'Senku' and smiled slightly. "Oh, isn't that sweet." He gushed, reading over the part about Senku's adoption. Gen had always had a lot of respect for people who took children in, caring for them as if they were their own. It made him happy. "What an adorable little family." A large smile made it's way onto his face and Gen couldn't stop the tip of his nose tinting red.

Ukyo noticed instantly and locked his phone. "C'mon then, let's finish watching the interview." He suggested, and Gen nodded. Ukyo grabbed a blanket and draped it around their shoulders, and the two snuggled up as the interview continued.

"Now, if I recall correctly, you have a podcast?" The presenter asked, leaning forward in his seat.

Senku nodded, crossing a leg over his thigh. "Yeah. When I was a kid my teachers never helped me when I had already advanced, so my goal is to help those kids and young teens who might be a bit more advanced in a certain field who want to further their education." He explained, a tiny red tint covering his cheeks. "My... dad actually gave me the idea. And at first I didn't really know what to do, but after some brain-storming with him we ended up with the podcast." Senku continued, a small smile on his face. "We also talk about more advanced stuff; for example, just last month I done a podcast about the rocket I launched. The ins and outs of the process, as well as recordings of the first few failed attempts."

"That's a very kind thing to do. I do hope that's been a success?" The man in the suit asked, earning a nod from the scientist. "Incredible!" He chuckled, his face full of bewilderment and wonder.

Gen and Ukyo were both taken back by what Senku had said. "That's insane." Gen laughed, leaning forward slightly.

"It is indeed. I wonder if we can find his podcasts." Ukyo hummed, grabbing his phone once again. He typed Senku's name into the search bar and a second later his screen was covered in social media and podcast links. "I found the one about the rocket." He announced, handing his phone to Gen.

Gen couldn't help but laugh, the scientist didn't seem to be very creative with his titles: 'Rocket Launch' was the title of his most recent podcast. "I'm definitely intrigued." He smiled, quickly casting the video to their tv.

The two spent the rest of the evening watching Ishigami Senku's podcasts. They both learnt a fair bit about space, chemistry and even a little about physics. Senku would make a great science teacher, Gen thought.


	2. The Best

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Senku is a little OOC in this chapter, but I really enjoyed writing this.  
> I hope you all enjoy it.

"Right, I think that about covers everything on the laws of gravity. If there's something I've missed or you have questions, theres links to my social media in the description." With that, Senku stopped recording and leant back in his desk chair with a heavy sigh. A smile tugged at his lips as he thought about what he was doing, and what he had achieved. He was happy to be helping others learn about science. It was his only passion, and being able to share his knowledge actually made him feel happy. Science isn't something meant for only those who want to persuse a career with it, science is constantly all around everyone; in the air we breath, in nature, even in the human bodies. Science is exhilarating.

It had been nearly six months since his interview that was broadcasted across Japan, and his podcasts had blown up quite a bit. He felt a sense of pride knowing that he was, in some way, helping people. Whether it was just something to watch in the background, or people actually taking an interest in the topics he spoke about, people all across Japan seemed to take a liking to his podcast.  
Just as he was about to stand up to get something to eat, he heard the front door open. "Senku! Get down here!" His father called, excitement evident in his voice.

Senku quickly hopped up and headed downstairs, seeing his father putting a few bags down by the door. "Hey, how was it?" He asked, nonchalantly. But deep down, Senku was actually happy to see his dad after so long.

Byakuya smiled brightly at his son, "it was amazing! I'll fill you in on everything later, but for now... I'm starving. Let's go get some food."

"Sure. Let me just grab a jacket." Senku nodded, heading to the living room where he had thrown his hoodie onto the sofa earlier that day. Besides a few bits here and there, and maybe a little bit of dust, Senku had managed to maintain the house and keep everything tidy. That is, besides his home lab, which was a bit of a mess. "Let's go." He said, pulling his hoodie on and putting on his shoes.

Byakuya and Senku both headed towards the ramen shop, somewhere they hadn't been to since Byakuya left to go to space. As they approached the shop Byakuya's stomach grumbled and Senku laughed, earning a pout from his dad. The two entered the building and quickly ordered their usual dish of ramen, before taking a seat. "So, what did you want to know?" Byakuya asked, and as soon as the question left his lips, Senku's eyes lit up. The young scientist began to question his father, asking everything and anything that came to mind.  
The two ended up staying there until closing time, which happened pretty often, and even on their walk home they still spoke about the trip. "Lillian was actually really nice. She would often sing for us while we worked. She has a really nice voice." Byakuya chuckled bashfully, trying to scratch away the rising blush on his cheeks.

Senku noticed quickly, and smirked. "You never were much of a music fan. What changed?" He asked, a teasing tone to his voice.

"Well, it wasn't so much the music, as who was singing it. Even though she didn't really know much about what we were doing, she tried her best to assist us whenever possible." He explained. "Plus, she's really pretty." He mumbled out, but Senku still heard.

With a roll of his eyes, Senku crossed his arms. "So, are you going to ask her out?" He asked casually as the two approached the apartment complex they lived in.

Byakuya stopped mid-step, his face turning a bright red. "What!? What gave you that idea!?" He panicked, waving his hands about.

Senku grabbed his dads wrists, to keep him from hitting anyone who was walking past them. "Because you're pulse has quickened drastically, you're pupils are dilated, etcetera." He smirked. "It's obvious you like her. Ask her out." He said sternly, making Byakuya calm down a bit.

"Are you sure? You wouldn't think it's weird?" Byakuya asked, meeting his son's eyes. The main reason he hadn't asked her on a date yet was for Senku. It had only been those two his whole life, so adding someone new to the picture might be troubling for Senku: at least, that was Byakuya's worry.

"Nah, go for it. You don't need my permission." Senku shrugged, dropping his fathers wrists. "I'm not going to stop you from being happy." He chuckled, shaking his head.

"Thank you." Byakuya smiled genuinely, pulling Senku into a hug. The younger man sighed, but wrapped a single arm around his dad in return. "You're the best son I could've asked for." He mumbled, patting Senku's hair as they pulled away. Senku just offered him a small smile, and the two ascended the stairs to their apartment.  
Just as Senku was about to head up to his lab, Byakuya stopped him. "Do you want to watch something?" He asked, wanting to spend more time with his son, especially since he had just got home.

Senku thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Only if you ask her out. Right now." He smirked, heading for the living room. He picked up the remote and began flicking through the channels.

Byakuya was right behind him, taking a seat next to his son and pulling out his phone. "What do I even say?" He mumbled, causing Senku to snort a laugh.

"You're asking the wrong person. Like I know anything a out dating." He said sarcastically, earning a playful nudge from his blushing dad. For a while, the two sat in silence with Senku trying to find something to watch, and Byakuya trying to word his text right. When Senku noticed that his dad was going to text Lillian, he paused his actions and turned to Byakuya. "Maybe don't text her. Call her and ask." He suggested with a shrug.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." Byakuya sighed with a soft smile. "I'll be back in a sec." With that, Byakuya stood up and headed for the kitchen, his shaking finger hovering over the call button.

Senku resumed his channel surfing, but stopped quickly when he found a man being interviewed about a psychology book he had recently published. The man on the screen had black hair, cut so that it was longer on the left. It was an odd style but Senku found it rather attractive; especially matched with the mans grey-blue eyes.  
He didn't pay much attention to the interview, he was too busy staring at the author of the book, whose name still remained unknown to him. His mannerisms were perfect, he was polite and didn't reveal too much about his book; probably to intrigue people into buying it, yet there was an underlying mischievous and playful tone to his voice.  
Even Senku couldn't deny that the man was attractive, which wasn't something he often thought about. He didn't care if people were attractive or not, as long as they were living their life how they wanted to, he was fine with them. And yet, he found himself staring at the man with black hair.  
Senku had never once questioned his sexuality, let alone even thought about it. He never once thought about what a relationship would be like, or what it would be like to like someone just based on how they look. Yet here he was, questioning everything.  
It felt wrong, but at the same time he didn't mind at all. The man on tv was beautiful, and Senku found himself wondering what he was like off camera, in real life. He wondered what having a conversation with him would be like.

"Whatcha staring at?" Byakuya asked, making Senku jump and whip his head round to face his dad. His eyes were wide, like a deer caught in headlights, and his cheeks were dusted pink.

"Nothing." He mumbled sheepishly, reaching for the remote again.

But, Byakuya stopped him by grabbing it first. "C'mon kid, tell me." He smirked, flopping down onto the sofa and watching his son.

"Seriously, don't worry about it." He chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. Byakuya raised a brow in response, showing that he wasn't going to drop the subject that quickly. After a small staring competition, Senku caved and lowered his head. "He's... kinda cute." He muttered, the words rolling from his mouth were foreign, and he didn't really know how to understand it.

A laugh snapped him from his thoughts, and he glanced at the man to his left. "I never thought I'd see the day." Byakuya smiled, wrapping an arm around his son and pulling Senku into his side. "Does my little boy have a crush?" He sung with a smirk.

Senku shoved him away, his eyes darting around the room, his cheeks and ears staining a deep red. "I doubt it's a crush. I just find him attractive." He mumbled, fidgeting with his fingers. "He seems pretty intelligent in his field, which is... cool, I guess?" He sighed, lowering his head again. This feeling was so new to him, he didn't know how to understand these emotions.

"He must be. After all, he's published a book at the age of... uh, how old is he? He looks pretty young." Byakuya chuckled, bringing up the description of the interview. "Asagiri Gen." He muttered, before quickly searching the name in Google. He quickly read through Gen's known information. "He's only twenty? Wow, that's an amazing achievement." Byakuya laughed, handing his phone to Senku.

Senku read it over, and with each passing second his heart beat increased. "Wait," he quickly snapped his head up, "you don't have a problem with me being attracted to a guy?" He asked, slightly anxious.

"Why would I? I'm not going to stop you from being happy." Byakuya smirked, making Senku smile softly.

"Thanks. You're the best, dad." He whispered, going back to reading the article.

Byakuya felt his heart swell up and a few tears welled in his eyes. It was very rare Senku even complimented someone, and that statement alone was the best thing he had ever heard from his son.


	3. First Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 years after the events of parts 1 and 2.  
> Senku is now 20, while Gen is 22.

Almost three years had passed since Gen had published his first book and had been interviewed for it. He had just returned from a worldwide tour to promote his second book, and he couldn't be happier. But, his tour wasn't over yet. He wanted to return with a bang, and so his last show would be in Tokyo, followed by a book signing the next day. And then he was done, fully and finally free of tour life.  
He was ready to fall face down on his own bed, in his own apartment, and stuff his face with his own food and drink.  
Gen grabbed his luggage from the collection area in the airport and quickly scurried out of the large building before anyone could recognize him. Even though he wore a hoodie, sunglasses and a black face mask, he was still worried about being swarmed by paparazzi and journalists. He had grown to be a very well-known mentalist now, and having his books on psychology lining shelves worldwide only added to that fame. It wasn't any wonder as to how he had made it so big, in such a short few years.  
He spotted the white hair of his friend, standing by a silver car, with his head in his phone. Ukyo tapped away, obviously texting someone, as Gen approached him. "Hello stranger!" Gen sung, dropping his heavy bags and suffocating Ukyo in a hug.

Ukyo was quick to return the gesture and the two stood for a moment, faces going red from the tightness of their embrace. As they pulled away, they shared a smile before bursting into a fit of laughter. "It's so good to see you." Ukyo cried, wiping a tear from his eye.

Gen nodded enthusiastically, "it's good to see you too!" He giggled, popping the boot of the car open. "Now, come give me a hand. We've got lots to talk about." He smirked, loading the car with his luggage.

With that, the two packed up the car and left the airport. The drive home was full of laughter and chatter; both enjoyed seeing their friend again, Gen especially since he hadn't seen any of his friends in such a long time.  
"So, you're last show is tomorrow night. And, after that it's the book signing. How does it feel to almost be free?" Ukyo joked as he pulled the car into the underground car park below their apartment building. 

Gen giggled and smiled over at his friend, "it feels wonderful, Ukyo-chan." He said honestly. "I must admit, even though I enjoy meeting my fans and putting on a show, hotel hopping is definitely not my style." He sighed, slumping down in his seat.

"I bet it was horrible." Ukyo chuckled, glancing at Gen before parking the car. "What did you do to give yourself a bit of normalcy? Besides call us." Ukyo sighed too, switching the engine off and unbuckling his belt.

Gen copied his actions, removing his belt, and opened his door, all the while a heavy blush on his face. "I watched podcasts." Gen mumbled. Ukyo asked him to repeat himself, but Gen knew he had heard. "I said I watched Senku's podcasts." He told Ukyo, raising his voice a little bit. When the white haired man smiled, Gen huffed and crossed his arms. "Shut up." He pouted.

Ukyo just laughed, opening the boot of the car. "I didn't say a word." He remarked, a smirk on his face as he picked up a few of Gen's bags. The two carried Gen's luggage up to their apartment, and Ukyo quickly unlocked the door.

Gen practically ran to the black leather sofa, dropping his bags along the way and falling face down with his arms spread wide; as if to hug the sofa. "Home, sweet home." He cried into the cushion, making Ukyo laugh. "I can't believe it's been two years." He chuckled, pushing himself up and into a seated position, watching as Ukyo put his bags down.

"We've all really missed you." Ukyo smiled wholeheartedly, speaking about their collective group of friends. "Tsukasa won't admit it but when I reminded him that you were coming back today he almost cried." He added, sitting next to Gen.

"Of course he did." Gen smirked, flipping the longer half of his hair, before laughing along with Ukyo. "Anyway, I had a great idea." He reached for one of his bags, pulling out a box of hair bleach and silver-white dye. "Will you give me a hand?" Gen asked with puppy eyes.

Ukyo rolled his eyes, but nodded anyway. "Let's not do this out here: bathroom." He said, standing up. Gen smiled brightly and followed him into the bathroom.

The two prepared the dye, and Gen explained what he wanted done; straight down the middle, longer side white. Ukyo was hesitant to bleach Gen's hair, but after a little convincing he finally agreed. "So," Gen started, glancing at Ukyo in the mirror in front of him, "the day after the signing, are you free?" He asked, chuckling when he noticed Ukyo's tongue sticking out as he concentrated. He eventually got a small nod from Ukyo. "Ok, I'll message the others and see if they are too. We should all hang out." Gen beamed, obviously excited to see his other friends.

"That sounds great, let me know what they say. We should definitely get some drinks in, have a welcome home gathering." He suggested, tilting Gen's head. Gen just nodded, liking that idea.

That night, after Gen's hair was done and he had showered, he headed to bed extremely early. He was a bit jet-lagged, so Ukyo could understand. Gen collapsed onto his bed, bundling himself up in the fresh sheets Ukyo had been sweet enough to change the day before. As soon as he was comfortable, Gen fell asleep instantly.

Gen's eyes scanned the audience before him, a large smile on his face. Taking a bow, something caught his eye. A head of platinum blond hair tied into a ponytail and crimson red eyes. Gen snapped himself out of it, shaking his head as he walked off the stage for the last time. It must've been a trick of the light, Gen thought. There was no way Ishigami Senku was sitting in the audience.  
But the image of those eyes stayed with him for the rest of the night, in the taxi home and as he laid in bed trying to fall asleep. He tossed and turned, trying to rid the image from his mind; telling himself there wasn't a chance in Hell. In fact, he laughed at himself for even thinking it could've been him. "Just a trick of the light." He told himself again, a sad smile on his face as he shut his eyes, finally falling asleep.

The next morning rolled on quickly and before he knew it, Gen was sitting at a table, in a library, signing books for his fans. He loved this side of his job, interacting with people, having actual discussions about his books; it still felt surreal for him. Even after signing over a thousand books, he was still always happy to do more.  
About forty-five minutes into the signing, Gen grew a little anxious. He had spotted someone in line that seemed a little off. Their movements were a little jumpy, and a hood was pulled over their face, with sunglasses and a mask helping to hide his identity. Security seemed to notice him as well, and were eyeing the hooded man from where they stood around the area.  
When the hooded man finally arrived at the table, looking down at Gen through the sunglasses, Gen felt a lump rise in his throat. He offered the faceless man a forced smile, noticing a book in his hands. "I know it's your first book, but I missed that signing, do you mind?." The man spoke from behind the mask, gently placing the purple covered book onto the table.

Gen's raised his brows in shock, no one asked him to sign his first book anymore. It was old news to most of his fans by now. He swallowed the lump in his throat, showing the man a real smile. "No, that's not a problem. It's been a while since I've signed one of these." He chuckled to himself, flipping the cover open and picking up his pen. "To whom am I making this out to?" He asked, trying his hardest to catch a glimpse of the man's face, unsuccessfully. Gen couldn't quite place the mans voice, but there was something so familiar about it. It was driving Gen nuts; not knowing who the masked figure was.

"Uh," the man froze up, his eyes darting between the book and Gen from behind the sunglasses. "Ishigami. Just, Ishigami." He spoke quietly, yet Gen still heard him.

"Ishigami... Senku?" Gen felt his eyes go wide as he realized where he knew the voice from. The man nodded, and Gen couldn't help but laugh. "Seriously!?" He almost yelled, his pen falling from his hand as he stood up.

Senku sighed, crossing his arms over his chest awkwardly. "Do you know me?" He asked, a little taken aback with Gen's reaction. He had made sure to cover up to keep from being noticed, but he never expected to be recognized by the mentalist before him.

"Yeah, I watch your podcasts." Gen chuckled bashfully, scratching at his cheek to keep himself from blushing. "The stuff you talk about is really fascinating." He added with a lopsided smile and closed eyes.

Senku stood slightly stunned, "oh, that's..." he felt his neck and cheeks grow hot, but tried his hardest to control the spreading blush. "Thank you, Asagiri." He finally muttered, removing the sunglasses and mask from his face to offer the man a small smile.

"Please, Gen is fine." The mentalist smirked, regaining his composure and picking the pen back up. He wrote something in Senku's book before tucking a note inside and closing it, handing it back to Senku. "It's very nice to meet you, Senku-chan." Gen offered him a sweet smile, and Senku felt his hand shake as he reached to grab the book.

The scientist was still getting used to the fame he had achieved, and now he had been recognized by someone he actually admired in an academic sense. He felt his pulse quicken as he took the book from Gen. "Thank you." He managed to say, before turning to leave.

"Senku-chan?" Gen called quickly, making Senku freeze. "Would you like to grab a drink? After the signing?" He asked, leaning against the table, sheepishly watching Senku.

The crimson eyed man turned back to Gen with a smirk, "sure." He nodded. "I'll be walking around in the science section, see you in a bit." He chuckled, quickly putting his mask over his mouth and nose again.

Gen watched as Senku covered his eyes with the sunglasses, burning the image of those red eyes into his mind. He had to admit, Senku's eyes were absolutely breathtaking in real life, and even better up close. He wondered if he could get a closer look.  
"Excuse me?" Someone called, snapping Gen out of his daze.

Gen smiled at the woman apologetically, "ah, I'm sorry." He clasped his hands together and bowed his head slightly before sitting back down and taking a copy of his book from the woman.  
With that, Gen got back on track, focusing on his signing. It was easy for him to bottle up the anxiety bubbling in his stomach; and even though his heart felt like it was about to jump out of his throat, Gen pushed on.


	4. Make It A Double

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't exactly have a schedule that I'm keeping to, so I'm gonna apologise for that haha.
> 
> But, I wanted to get this part out asap, so I hope you all enjoy this!
> 
> Parts 5&6 will be posted together btw, as I want to get into the SenGen part as quickly as possible.

Senku kept his promise, pacing around the science section of the library as he waited for Gen to finish up. It shouldn't be too long now, the signing ended at 5pm, so fifteen minutes wasn't too bad.  
He almost couldn't believe that Asagiri Gen had recognized him. The scientist had been interested in the mentalist since the day he saw him on tv. And to Senku, it wasn't even about the attraction he felt towards Gen. It was being able to talk to someone on an academic level about the human mind and how it works. Social sciences, sociology and psychology never really interested Senku on a work level, but it was still exciting to learn new things.  
Not to mention, Senku found himself blushing deeply upon listening to the sweet tone of Gen's voice replay in his head. It was like a melody playing through his mind, and he didn't know how to shut it up.  
Seeing Gen up close in real life was eye opening for Senku. The mentalist's eyes were full of mischief, but hiding behind them was a beautiful soul and a kind man. He was also taller than Senku had expected, the scientist stood around three inches shorter than Gen; excluding his hair. Gen was pale in comparison to how he looked on tv, and his cheeks were a little more defined too.

"Senku-chan?"

The scientist was snapped out of his thoughts, his head whipping around to find Gen standing a few feet behind him. He had his hands clasped behind his back and a warm, closed eye smile graced his lips. "Hey." Senku chuckled, placing a book he had picked up back onto the shelf.

"Hey!" Gen giggled, leaning forward ever so slightly so he was the same height as Senku. "Shall we go? I'm all done." He smiled again, and this time Senku felt his breath hitch in his throat. The red eyed man could only nod, and Gen grabbed his wrist to pull him along.  
They exited the library, both covered in a hoodie, sunglasses and a face mask to keep from being swarmed by Gen's fans. "So, what do you want to get? A _drink_ drink, or just a coffee?" Gen asked sweetly, fishing around in his pocket and pulling out his phone.

Senku shrugged, pondering it over for a moment. "Whatever you want. This was your idea." He mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Gen nodded and pulled up a map of the surrounding area, spotting a small bar not too far from them. "How about here? The reviews are pretty good." He handed his phone to Senku, who nodded in agreement. "Splendid!" Gen giggled, taking his phone back and turning down an alley.

The walk there was rather quiet, and Senku found himself wanting to say something; which was rare. He usually was fine with silence. "Can I ask why you invited me out?" He sighed, finally asking the question he had wanted to since he left Gen at the signing table.

"But of course!" Gen exclaimed, clasping his hands together in front of him, stopping and turning to face Senku. "You're a very interesting person, Senku-chan. I would never pass up an opportunity to get to know someone I admire." He explained, his voice turning sheepish towards the end. "To clarify, I mean on an academic basis."

Senku was not expecting that to be Gen's answer. He didn't think Gen would go so far as to say he admired Senku. His throat turned dry as he suddenly became anxious, too aware of his own existence. "Oh, well, thank you?" He chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Instead of responding Gen only nodded, focusing on the map on his phone. He gestured to the left, indicating they had to turn and they continued on their way. "What about you, Senku-chan?" Gen asked, his eyes flitting between his phone, the oncoming traffic and the scientist.

"Huh?" Senku furrowed his brow, confused.

Gen offered a smile, giggling at Senku's confused face. "Why did you agree to come out with me?" He asked, this time elaborating.

Senku's mouth formed an 'o' shape, realising what Gen had meant. "I suppose it's the same as why you invited me." He mumbled sheepishly. "Although, I wouldn't say I admire you. It's more like..." he paused, thinking for a second. "Its more like I'm interested in what you've studied and what you do." He explained. "The way the human mind works hasn't always interested me, but after reading your thesis and your first book I can't deny my fascination." Senku added with a shrug. "I heavily enjoyed the part about why humans stereotype each other." He admitted.

Gen nodded along as Senku spoke, listening to every word that passed his lips. "I'd be ever so happy to discuss anything with you, Senku-chan. Perhaps you can enlighten me on the more scientific reasoning behind a few of my points." Senku just nodded. "I must admit, writing about stereotypes was... one of the hardest things I've had to do." He sighed heavily, shaking his head. "We categorize everything to make things easier to understand. That's just human nature. But discussing racism, homophobia, sexism; I hated that." Gen admitted, using his free hand to rub his arm.  
He had stayed up until sunrise working on that part especially. He wanted to make it perfect, knowing that many parts of the world were still struggling with stereotypes that affected the way people lived. It hurt him, and he wished he could do more than write about the distasteful topics.

"I think you done pretty well." Senku told him, looking over at Gen. "It was ten billion percent unbiased. The way I interpreted it is that you were not writing about the issues themselves, but more about why humans do it."

Gen stopped mid step, turning to face Senku properly. "Really? Unbiased?" He asked, his eyes glimmering. Senku offered him a nod of confirmation. "Coming from a scientist, that's a wonderful compliment. Even if your field of work is more along the lines of chemistry and astrophysics. I appreciate the feedback." Senku smiled softly, his cheeks tinting a gentle pink, hidden by the colouration of the sunset that hit their faces.   
A few minutes later, they stopped in front of a building, "this is the place." Gen chuckled. He peered through the large window, seeing a few people scattered around at different tables inside. It wasn't busy at all, which both men were happy about.

Gen pushed the door open, stepping inside and holding it open for Senku. The smell of beer and spirits filled the air inside, and Gen found himself smiling. It was an odd smell to like, but the mentalist loved the smell of beer. They headed for the bar, both pulling out their ID and placing it on the counter. "What can I get ya?" The bartender asked, using a towel to dry a shot glass.

"I'll take a Jack and coke. Senku-chan, what would you like?" Gen asked, turning to Senku who was scanning over the drinks behind the counter.

After a moment, he piped up. "I'll... have the same?" He raised a brow. Senku was never much of a drinker, he had tried beer, and wine, but neither really fit his taste. But, he never said no to trying something new.

"Make them a double." Gen smiled sweetly, noticing the innocence of the scientist beside him. "With ice, please." He added quickly, as the bartender got to work on their drinks.

Two shots of whiskey in each glass, ice and coke; one of Gen's favourite drinks, closely followed by just a regular bottle of cola. "Here ya go." The man spoke up, placing the two glasses on the counter.

Gen smiled and handed him some money, before picking up one of the glasses and taking a small sip. "My, that hits the spot." He sighed blissfully, watching as Senku copied his actions. For a moment, Senku was hesitant to try it, before taking a small swig. His face turned slightly sour as he swallowed down the bittersweet drink. His eyes lit up a bit, and he lowered the drink down. "It's good, right?" Gen chuckled, noticing the small smile tugging at Senku's lips.

"Yeah. It's got a weird taste, but it's actually really nice." He agreed, lifting his eyes to look at Gen. "Thanks." Senku smiled.

"My pleasure, Senku-chan." Gen nodded his head towards an empty table towards the back. "Let's grab a seat. I'm sure we've both got many questions for each other."

And they did.

They each pulled out a chair and sat down opposite each other, before beginning the questions. Gen mostly asked about space; a subject he wished he had learnt more about when he was still in education.  
Senku, on the other hand, asked about many topics; a majority of them being themes Gen had written about in his books. Such as stereotypes, mental health, and many, many more. His excitement for learning knew information sparked joy throughout Gen, and the mentalist was all too happy to answer in great detail.

As Senku finally finished his drink, Gen smiled sadly. "I suppose we should call it a night. It's already 8PM, and I promised my housemate I'd have a movie night with him tonight." Gen chuckled, tucking his white hair behind his ear sheepishly. "But, this has been a lot of fun, Senku-chan. I'd love to do it again, if you're up for it, of course." He stood up, tucking his chair under the table and leaning on it.

"Yeah, it's been... interesting. You've really opened my eyes to a lot of things, so, thanks Gen." Senku nodded, following Gen's lead and standing up.

The two made their way outside, the cold nights of winter sending a chill down Gen's spine. "I'll see you around Senku-chan, and please, don't hesitate to call." With that, Gen trotted off, leaving a confused Senku standing outside the bar.

"Call? But I dont even-" Senku paused his thought, reaching into his backpack and pulling out the book. He flipped open the cover and a small, white piece of paper fluttered out, landing at his feet, face down. Quickly, Senku picked it up, not wanting a gust of wind to blow it out of his reach, and turned it over in his hand.

There, written on the paper, was a phone number next to a message.

**Call me ~ Gen**


	5. That First Step

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been really inspired to write more of this fic recently, so I'm gonna post the next 2 parts in one go.  
> I promise after this, it will be SenGen almost every chapter.  
> I hope you enjoy :)

Upon returning home, Gen was greeted by the delightful smell of Ukyo's home-made ramen; a scent Gen had grown all too familiar with before his tour. "Ah, Gen, there you are. I was beginning to worry." Ukyo chimed from the sofa.

"Ah, not to worry Ukyo-chan. I just decided to get a drink with someone after the signing. No big deal." Gen explained, putting his bag down by the end of the sofa and taking a seat. He didn't want to make a big deal about the evenings events, at least not until he knew if Senku would actually call him or not.  
He still wasn't sure if tonight was supposed to be the start of a friendship, or just a one time thing; with the two of them returning to nothing more than fans of the other. The thought of never doing something like that again saddened Gen, causing a frown to form on his face.

"What's wrong?" Ukyo asked, worried for his friends sudden shift in mood.

Gen glanced over at him with a confused expression, "whatever do you mean?" He asked, trying his best to hide the self-inflicted sadness.

"You seem really down. Did something happen today?" Ukyo leant forward, tilting his head slightly to emphasise his concern.

"Ah, well..." Gen sighed, slouching back against the sofa and draping an arm across his eyes. "I had a great day, Ukyo-chan. I think I'm just on a come down from all the excitement." He forced a smile, hoping the lie would be enough for Ukyo.

But it wasn't. Ukyo saw straight through Gen, after all they had been friends for years. The white haired man could read the mentalist like an open book; especially when they were alone and Gen's facade dropped. His steely gaze bore into the visible part of Gen's face, and Gen could feel him staring. "Gen..." Ukyo's tone was a warning, telling Gen that he wasn't going to drop the subject.

"Fine. Fine." Gen groaned, peeking out from under his arm. He sat up and pulled his knees to his chest, resting his chin atop them. "I met someone today, and it was amazing. But, I'm just a little sad that it may have been a one time thing." He explained, burrowing his face into his knees. "I even gave him my number." His muffled voice still reached Ukyo's ears.

"Gen! You can't just go around giving people your phone number! What if they leak it!?" Ukyo panicked, running a hand down his face.

"Don't worry about that. He wouldn't do that." The mentalist mumbled, tightening his arms around his legs. "I had a lot of fun tonight, I just hope he did too. At least enough to call, or even text, me." Gen sighed heavily.

Ukyo couldn't help but frown, he hated seeing Gen so unsure. It wasn't a good fit for the psychology graduate and world-renowned mentalist. "Maybe just give him some time. I mean, The Asagiri Gen just gave out his number. He's probably gone home to fan-boy right about now." Ukyo tried to joke around, and it worked, somewhat.

A small chuckle escaped Gen's throat at the thought of Senku fan-boying over something like that. He lifted his head, turning to Ukyo with a slight smile, "nah, he's not the type to do that. If anything, he's either not going to call, or is debating when it would be logical to call." Gen explained quietly, his cheeks tinting a gentle shade of red.  
Before Ukyo could put two and two together, Gen stood up and stretched his arms above his head. "I think I'm gonna grab something to eat, have a shower and head to bed. I'm absolutely exhausted after today." He stated, his tone returning to normal and his blush fading.

\--------

Senku couldn't sleep much that night, tossing and turning in his bed as the thought of calling Gen played on his mind. He had enjoyed the others company more than expected, and he genuinely wanted to see the mentalist again. Even with an invitation to call, it still made his stomach do flips and his heart race. Eventually, he picked up his phone and texted his dad.

_Senku: 11:47PM - Can I stop by tomorrow?_

_Byakuya: 11:49PM - Sure kiddo, what's the occasion?_

Senku rolled his eyes at the stupid nickname that had stuck, but he smiled nonetheless.

_Senku: 11:52PM - Thanks. And I just need some advice. But, we'll talk about that tomorrow._

_Byakuya: 11:53PM - Alrighty! Sweet dreams kid!_

_Senku: 11:54PM -Yeah, yeah, you too. Night dad._

After their small chat, Senku laid back down and stared at the ceiling above him. A small smile played on his lips as he thought about seeing his dad, as well as Lillian.  
Byakuya and Lillian had been together for almost three years now, and in all honesty, Senku was overjoyed for his dad. 

The following day, Senku arrived at his old home; the two bedroom apartment he and Byakuya had shared for the first nineteen years of his life. He hadn't been living alone long, about a year now, and Byakuya was quick to move Lillian in when he was gone. Senku didn't mind, he saw how much those two loved each other. If anything, he was glad that he could give them the space they needed.

Senku pulled out his spare key, unlocking the front door and stepping inside. "Hello?" He called out, closing the door behind him.

"Oh, Senku! It's so good to see you." The high pitched voice of Lillian called out. She poked her head out from the living room, offering him a bright smile. "You're father's still at work, he shouldn't be long." She explained, watching as Senku slipped off his shoes.

"That's fine. I'll wait." He muttered, stepping into the apartment properly. "What's that smell?" Senku asked, following Lillian into the living room.

The blonde woman smiled brightly, turning to face Senku. "I made brownies! They're cooling right now, but they're absolutely delicious." She sounded so proud of herself, clasping her hands together with excitement. "Do you want one?" Lillian offered, trotting into the kitchen with Senku hot on her heels.

Senku took a seat at the kitchen island, leaning against the countertop and resting his head against his hand. "Yeah, I'll try one." He shrugged, eyeing the cooling brownies that sat on a covered plate.

Lillian happily got him a slice, setting it down in front of him with a side of vanilla ice cream. "So, Senku," she started, taking a seat next to him at the island, "how was the signing yesterday?" She asked, giving him her full attention.

"It was... fine." Senku mumbled, picking up a fork and digging it into the brownie and ice cream.

The blond woman raised a brow, crossing her arms. "Just fine? You met the guy you've been crushing on and it was just 'fine'?" She smirked.

"He knew me." Senku whispered, eyeing up the brownie on the fork. "He watches my podcasts." He added. Lifting the fork to his lip, he took a taste of the chocolate and vanilla combo. Lillian was right, it was delicious. "Wow, these are good." He chuckled, trying to change the subject.

"Um, no young man. Don't try and get out of this. Did you at least talk to him? Try to get to know him?" Lillian pushed, growing excited for Senku.

The scientist lowered his fork, his eyes shifting over to Lillian. "He... invited me to get a drink, after the signing. It was fun. We mostly spoke about our work. And..." he felt his cheeks grow hot, and a crimson blush spread across his nose and ears.

"And?"

Senku took a deep breath, covering his face with his hands, "and he gave me his number. He told me to call him." He mumbled, his voice slightly muffled by his hands.

"Did you?" She asked.

"What?" Senku lifted his head from his hands, a look of confusion on his face. "No, of course not." He sighed. "I came over to get dad's advice on all of this." Senku continued, pushing the plate away and letting his head drop onto the countertop.

Lillian giggled softly and stood up, walking so she was stood behind Senku. She placed her hands on his shoulders and pulled him up. Senku tilted his head back, so he was looking at her, waiting for what she was going to say. "Well, if it were up to me, I would call him. After all, do you really want last night to be just a one time thing?" She asked, and Senku slowly shook his head. "Exactly. He gave you his number, so obviously he didn't either. And it's not like he can call you. He's given you full control of the situation." Lillian explained, offering Senku a smile. "So, call him. Ask him if he wants to watch a movie, or get a coffee. Or maybe, if he likes science, you two could do an experiment together."

Senku thought it over, and he knew she was right. He shouldn't waste this opportunity. "Okay. I'll do it." He sighed, shrugging Lillian's hands off his shoulders as he stood up.

Just as Senku hit call, the front door opened to reveal Byakuya. The older man happily walked into the kitchen, only to be waved over by Lillian. She quickly shushed him, before he could engulf his son in a hug, and smiled. "He's on the phone. Give him a minute." Lillian whispered, making Byakuya turn to face Senku.

Senku's eyes met his dad's, and he smirked as Gen answered the phone. "Hello?" Gen's voice called down the line, full of anxiety.

"Hey Gen, it's Senku."  
Byakuya couldn't stop the large grin that spread across his face, and he turned to Lillian with excitement.  
"Do you want to hang out this weekend?" 


	6. The Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will probably be slower updates as of now, but I really wanted to get these parts up so we can all get to that SenGen content you came here for.  
> Hope you enjoy :)

The day after the signing, Gen woke up later than normal, wanting a lie in after completely finishing his tour life. But, Ukyo had other plans. At around 10am Gen was startled awake to the sound of a loud knocking at his bedroom door. "Oh Gen~!"

Even in a half-asleep state, Gen could recognize the voice of one of his best friends. The sound of the blond had woken him up fully, and he dashed to open the door. "Ryu-chan!" Gen beamed, not caring if he was just in his boxers and a t-shirt. He pulled the taller man into a hug, and Ryusui returned the gesture. "What are you doing here?" He chuckled, pulling away from the hug.

Ryusui smirked down at him and ruffled his hair, "we came to surprise you. Now hurry up and get dressed, we're going out for breakfast. My treat."

"We!?" Gen almost yelled, looking past Ryusui to see a head of dark brown hair tied into a neat bun. "Tsuka-chan too!?" He giggled, turning his attention back to the tall blond.

"And Francois. They've just gone down to the car to get their jacket."

Gen couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face, completely fueled by excitement and happiness. "I'll be ready in fifteen. Hang on." He quickly shoved Ryusui out of the doorway, shutting his door to get dressed.  
Gen knew he was supposed to meet them all today, but he just thought it would be a regular movie night with a few drinks and a take-out. He didn't expect them to be over before noon.  
He settled on something basic, a pair of black skinny jeans and a slightly over-sized purple turtleneck, paired with black Van's and a black cap. When he had finished getting changed, he headed for the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth, before finally heading to the lounge to greet his friends. "Tsuka-chan!" Gen called, practically jumping onto the large mans lap and wrapping his arms around his neck.

Tsukasa was a little taken off guard, but quickly returned the gesture with an arm around Gen's waist. "Hey, long time no see." He smirked, making Gen smile brightly. "You about ready to leave? Francois has the car warmed up."

The bi-colour haired man nodded eagerly, jumping off of his friends lap and straightening out his clothes. "I'm loving what you've done with your hair. Since when were you a bun type of guy?" He chuckled, nudging Tsukasa.

"I just felt like a change. And I usually put it up for fights anyway." He replied with a nonchalant shrug. "Ukyo, Ryusui, let's head out." He called, catching the attention of the two men in the kitchen.

After about half an hour Gen and his group of friends were sat around a table, each looking over a menu for what they wanted for breakfast. Gen had caught the others up on a few things from his tour and they had, in return, filled him in on what's been happening in their lives.  
"So, Gen," Ukyo started, propping his head in his hand on the table, "you never did tell me who you got a drink with last night." He flashed Gen a cheeky smile.

The mentalist lowered his head, trying to hide the growing blush on his cheeks. "Ooh, you went out with someone!? And you didn't tell us!? Gen!" Ryusui whined, reaching across the table and slapping Gen's shoulder softly. "You can't keep this stuff from us! Who was it? Was it a date? Was it a fan!?" Ryusui rambled, gripping onto Gen's shoulder and shaking him lightly.

Gen swatted Ryusui's hand away, an anxious laugh escaping his throat. "Yes, I got a drink with someone. It's no big deal. He's... kind of a fan, I suppose. But no, it wasn't a date." He still wasn't sure he wanted to tell his friends who he had gone out with, at least, not until he knew if Senku would call or not. "At least, it wasn't supposed to be a date." He sighed, slumping back in his seat.  
Just as he finished speaking, Gen felt his phone begin to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out, seeing an unknown number flash across the screen. Slowly, he answered, his stomach racing with nerves; part of him hoping it was the scientist. "Hello?" He called quietly, awaiting the person on the other end to speak.

"Hey Gen. It's Senku."  
Gen felt his breath hitch in his throat, and his hand tightened around his phone slightly.  
"Do you want to hang out this weekend?" Senku's voice sounded down the phone, and Gen could almost hear the smug smirk on his face.

"I'd love to, Senku-chan. Text me the details when you can." Gen smiled, his full attention on his phone as he replied. He didn't even notice his group of friends staring at him in shock. They all knew about his small obsession with the scientist's podcasts.

Senku chuckled down the phone, "yeah, will do." He replied quickly.

"Perfect, I'll see you this weekend then." Gen giggled, tucking his white bangs behind his ear. "I'd love to chat with you, but I'm out for breakfast right now with some friends. If you'd like, we can chat later?" He offered, not wanting to sound rude to either Senku or his friends.

"Oh, right. Sorry for calling at a bad time. I'll talk later. Um... have fun." Senku laughed softly, before hanging up the phone and leaving Gen in slight shock.

Gen slipped his phone back into his pocket before his gaze settled back on his friends, who were still staring at him in disbelief. "Senku!?" Tsukasa practically shouted, standing up and slamming his hands on the table.  
A few people seated close to their table all looked over at them, and Tsukasa muttered a sheepish apology. 

"You didn't tell me it was Senku. Explain!" Ukyo begged, reaching for Gen's hand and squeezing it slightly. "How could you keep this from us." He cried, wiping a fake tear from his eyes with his free hand.

"Yeah, what they said." Ryusui smirked, crossing his arms and leaning back against his chair with a raised brow. "You met your celebrity crush, and you didn't even tell us? That's just rude, Gen." He feigned a hurt expression, sticking his bottom lip out for comedic effect.

A small nod came from Francois, who sat quietly at the end of the table. "I must agree with these three idiots." They muttered, raising a brow towards Gen as well.

The mentalist sunk in his seat, a heavy blush staining his entire face. After a moment of silence, he went on to explain how he met the scientist, as well as why he didn't say anything. He didn't want to keep it a secret, but it felt right; especially if Senku didn't end up calling, and he could've brushed it off without the saddened expressions of his friends. But, Senku did call: and Gen was all too pleased to tell his friends now.

The next few days passed by Gen in a blur, he spent them with his friends, going over every possible scenario that could take place over the weekend, as well as trying to pick out a decent outfit. Senku had texted him the details Saturday morning, and Gen was overjoyed to hear what Senku had planned. It wasn't much, but Senku had invited Gen over to his apartment to watch a movie, and Gen was eager to agree. Friday night, Ryusui had stayed over, meaning he was there to help Gen get ready the next morning.

"So, is this supposed to be a date?" Ryusui asked, ruffling Gen's recently brushed hair.

Instantly, Gen's face turned bright red. "I highly doubt it." He chuckled anxiously, patting his hair back down before scratching at his cheek. It was a futile attempt to rid the ever growing blush.

Ryusui smirked and crossed his arms, leaning against the closed door of Gen's room. "That's a shame. I bet you want it to be." He sung smugly, a teasing note in his voice.

"Oh my gosh, shut up." Gen whined, throwing a hoodie at Ryusui in an attempt to get him to stop. The blond knew Gen was just messing around, he was too embarrassed and anxious to be mad. "Besides, I'd like to get to know him better first." He mumbled, pulling a light grey hoodie over his cream coloured t-shirt. Again, black skinny jeans with a rip over the knee and black Van's were paired with his outfit. It was casual, and Gen preferred that look to the dazzling suits he wore on stage. He looked himself over in the mirror, nodding in approval.

"Well, are you ready?" Ryusui asked, pushing himself off the door and standing behind Gen, offering him a smile in the mirror.

Gen just nodded, taking a deep breath and pulling out his phone.

_Gen: 1:06PM - I'm just about to leave. See you soon, Senku-chan._

He quickly hit send and slid his phone into his pocket. "Okay. I'll see you later." Gen smiled at the taller man, offering him a wave as he headed for his bedroom door.

Ryusui followed him out, joining Ukyo on the sofa as Gen left quickly. "It's definitely a date." Ryusui mumbled, leaning against the back of the sofa.

"Oh, of course it is." Ukyo laughed, stretching his arms above his head.


	7. Doraemon And Cuddles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of Senku and Gen's "date".  
> I hope you enjoy!

Senku read the text over a few times, his heart racing in his chest as he released Gen would be at his door any minute now. He made sure he looked presentable, his hair tied into a loose ponytail, jeans and a t-shirt, and socks. Since he wasn't going out, shoes weren't needed anyway.  
A knock on his apartment door startled him, making him drop his phone onto his sofa. He quickly stood up, straightening out his shirt, and headed for the door.   
Senku was slightly hesitant to open the front door, his stomach doing flips, but that all washed away when he remembered that Gen was the one to ask him to call. He opened the door, greeting the mentalist with a small smile. "Hey Mentalist, come on in." Senku stepped away and allowed Gen to step through the threshold.

"Hi, Senku-chan. Thank you for inviting me over." Gen blushed, slipping his shoes off in the entrance before following Senku into his lounge.

The scientist smiled softly, "no problem. Do you want a drink or anything?" He asked, heading for the kitchen.

"A cola would be lovely." Gen called, anxiously standing in Senku's living room as he awaited him to return. 

"Cola it is. You can take a seat if you want." Senku replied, reaching into the fridge and pulling out two glass bottles of chilled coke. He made his way back to the lounge to see Gen plop down onto the sofa, his back straight and his hands resting on his thighs. He was stiff and definitely anxious, even Senku could tell that much. "Here." Senku leant over the back of the sofa, dangling the bottle over Gen's shoulder with a smirk.

Gen gingerly reached out to grab it, his fingers brushing against Senku's. "T-Thanks." Gen tried to smile, but it came out forced and wobbly. He found it hard to focus, having Senku so close to him, practically leaning over him. "So, what are we watching, Senku-chan?" Gen asked, trying to ignore his racing heart and hot cheeks.

The scientist took a seat on the sofa, next to Gen, and stretched his arms above his head. "Do you like Doraemon?" Senku asked sheepishly, scratching at his cheek.

Gen raised a brow, stifling a soft laugh. "The kids show?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Yes." Senku mumbled, "the kids show." He added quietly.

"I've never actually watched anything to do with Doraemon. Care to enlighten me?" Gen giggled, placing a hand between the two so he could lean a little closer to Senku with a teasing smile.

Senku felt his face flush as Gen leant closer to him, and he swallowed the rising lump in his throat. Gen's eyes were beautiful, the perfect mix of grey and blue. "Sure." He offered his own smirk in return to the mentalist, before finding the original show and pressing play.  
After the first episode was finished, Senku turned to Gen, "what did you think?" He asked, wondering if it was worth continuing or not.

Gen eagerly nodded his head, his eyes wide and full of excitement. "Senku-chan, its absolutely adorable! Did you watch this as a kid?" He asked, wanting to know more about the scientist beside him.

"Uh, well, yeah. My dad showed it to me when I first got into science. I've... loved it ever since." He admitted, lowering his head self-consciously with a meek smile.

The mentalist squealed softly, reaching over to ruffle Senku's hair. "It's so cute that you're still into this. Is it, like, nostalgia, or do you actually still love watching it?" Gen asked softly, his hand being swatted away by Senku playfully.

"I guess, both?" He chuckled, his smile growing more confident. "Trust a mentalist to ask a question like that." He rolled his eyes with a smirk. Senku repositioned himself on the sofa to hide the fact he was scooting closer to Gen.

"Of course Senku-chan. Watching something that's nostalgic for someone is a fantastic way to get to know them." Gen explained, snapping his finger with a bright, closed eye smile. "And," he continued, his voice turning quiet and soft, "I'd really like to get to know you better." He whispered, lowering his head and looking over at Senku through his long lashes.

The way Gen looked at Senku made his heart jump in his chest. "O-oh..." Senku blushed, slightly shrinking away from Gen's gaze. "I'd like that too." He mumbled. "I mean, getting to know you." He clarified, making Gen giggle again. The sound was music to his ears, and Senku loved it.

About an hour later, Senku and Gen were still watching Doraemon. At least, Senku was. Gen had somehow dozed off and, while asleep, slowly fell against Senku's shoulder, startling the scientist. When he noticed Gen's closed eyes and steady breathing, he smiled and wrapped an arm around the mentalist. Senku rested Gen's head on his chest, trying not to wake the older man. When he knew they were both comfortable, he slowly lifted his hand, brushing the long, white bangs from Gen's face and tucking them behind his ear.  
Senku was awed at the soft, fuzzy feeling of Gen's hair, and while he continued to watch the show, subconsciously found himself brushing his fingers through the mentalist's hair. He didn't have the heart to wake Gen, he looked so peaceful and relaxed while he slept. And Senku found himself often glancing down at the man in his arms, wondering if he would ever get the chance to do this again.

This continued on for about an hour, until there was a knock at the door. Gen opened his eyes, instantly sitting up straight and looking around slightly dazed. When he saw Senku standing up, he calmed down a little. A heavy blush made it's way onto his face as he realized what had happened. He had fallen asleep, and ended up practically laying on top of Senku. How embarrassing.  
Senku came back in a minute later, a package in his hand. "I'm so sorry!" Gen almost yelled, standing up and bowing his head with tightly shut eyes. "I- I didn't mean to... fall asleep... on you." He choked out through gritted teeth. How stupid of himself, he thought.

Senku was surprised at the sudden apologetic outburst, but quickly regained his composure. "Don't worry about it. You seemed pretty relaxed so I didn't want to wake you." He explained, setting the small box down on the coffee table and smiling towards Gen. "C'mon, let's keep watching. You can even lay on my chest again, if you want." His tone held a teasing note, which made Gen stiffen as his face became a deep red.

"I- uh, I have to admit, it was rather comfortable." Gen chuckled softly, anxiously sitting back down next to Senku. He remained slightly stiff until Senku wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled Gen back onto his chest. "Senku-chan!" Gen gasped, looking up to glare playfully at the scientist; an act to hide how nervous the mentalist was.

Their eyes met and Senku offered him a smirk, ruffling his hair. "It's fine. I wouldn't have said it otherwise." He chuckled, sending a vibration through Gen. "Besides, you're hair's soft. And... it was nice playing with it." Senku mumbled, turning his gaze away from Gen awkwardly.

"You were... playing with my hair?" Gen asked softly, his brows raising slightly in surprise. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but the feeling of people playing with his hair was ever so relaxing. Only Ukyo and Tsukasa knew of that weakness.  
Senku just nodded, squeezing his hand around Gen's shoulder slightly, before lifting his hand to the half-and-half hair, brushing his fingers through the long, white strands.  
Gen felt himself relax instantly, and his eyes slowly drifted shut. "That's so nice, Senku-chan." He purred, feeling himself become drowsy once again. Gen yawned softly, quickly covering his mouth. "Ah! S-sorry, Senku-chan." He squeaked, covering his face.

"Stop apologising, idiot." Senku laughed, twirling a strand of Gen's hair around his finger. "As long as you're comfortable with this, then it's fine." He mumbled, looking down at Gen with a bright smile.

"I am... but, are you?" Gen asked sweetly, lifting his head to look up at Senku.

His face was cherry red, a colour fit to rival even his crimson eyes. "Yeah..." he whispered, "I am." He added, scratching behind one of Gen's ears. Gen yelped, surprised by the sudden action, but found himself leaning into the touch and enjoying it. "Huh, interesting." Senku mumbled to himself, smirking as he focused his gaze back on the tv.

Gen barely heard him, and decided not to question it. He relaxed into Senku's touch and wrapped an arm over Senku's body. It was comfortable, and to both of them it felt natural. Eventually, they both fell asleep, cuddled up together on Senku's sofa; completely relaxed in each others embrace.


	8. Know You

Gen groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes with a yawn as he looked around the unfamiliar apartment. When he looked to his right, he saw Senku laying there, one eye peeking open with a tired expression. "Evening, sleeping beauty." Gen giggled, laying back down on Senku's chest. "Sleep well?" He asked softly, looking up at the scientist.

"Hmm, yeah." Senku smiled, closing his eyes again and lifting his hand to comb through Gen's hair. "It was... kinda nice." He blushed, squeezing his eyes shut tight to hide his embarrassment.

Gen smiled, leaning into Senku's touch. "It was, wasn't it?" His eyes travelled down their bodies; Gen found himself and Senku both laying across the sofa, their legs entwined and bodies pressed together.  
For a moment, the two just lay there, enjoying the feeling of each others warmth shared between them. But, they were interrupted by Gen's phone ringing. He quickly sat up and pulled the device from his pocket, answering quickly upon seeing Ukyo's name flashing across the screen. "Hey, Ukyo-chan." Gen called softly, smiling as he stood up.

"Gen! Oh my gosh! Where the hell are you!?" Ukyo yelled down the phone, making Gen's smile drop.

Pulling the phone away from his ear, Gen checked the time, only to freeze up. "Crap, Ukyo I'm so sorry, Senku and I- we fell asleep watching tv earlier." Gen explained quickly, feeling himself begin to panic. It was dark outside, and almost midnight.

"Do you want me to come pick you up?" 

"No, no it's okay. I'll get a taxi home. Thank you though. And I'm so sorry I worried you, Ukyo-chan." Gen sighed heavily, running a hand down his face.

Senku furrowed his brow, checking the time himself. "Hey, Mentalist?" He called, loud enough to get Gen and Ukyo's attention. "Why don't you spend the night? I've got a spare room." He shrugged, nonchalantly.

"Oooh, what do you say, Mentalist?" Ukyo whispered, teasing Gen with the nickname Senku had given him.

Gen blushed, his mouth opening and closing a few times as he tried to find something to say. "I appreciate the offer, Senku-chan, but I wouldn't want to intrude." He chuckled awkwardly.

"Don't be an idiot. You're not intruding." Senku laughed, shaking his head. "Plus, we can actually watch something. Y'know, instead of falling asleep." He added with a smirk.

Ukyo chuckled softly down the phone, "you wouldn't be intruding Gen, go for it." He teased, making Gen instantly hang up with a scowl.

"I really do appreciate the offer, thank you." Gen bowed his head respectfully, before rejoining Senku on the sofa.

"No problem." Senku smiled, sitting up properly. "Do you want a drink?" He asked, standing up and heading for the kitchen.

Gen watched him, his gaze softening slightly at the kindness and hospitality Senku had shown him. "A glass of water would be great, thank you." He replied.  
The scientist returned a minute later with two glasses of water and placed them on the coffee table. He noticed the unopened package still sitting on the table and his eyes lit up when he remembered what was inside. Senku grabbed the box and a box cutter, opening the box quickly. Inside, covered by bubble wrap that was quickly discarded, sat a clear glass cube with what looked like a regular grey and orange rock inside.  
"What is it, Senku-chan?" Gen asked, peering down at the stone.

Senku pulled the clear box out and examined it, turning it over in his hands for a moment before a large, excited smile formed on his face. "Its Scheelite. It glows blue when exposed to UV light. I've been trying to get my hands on some for a while now." He explained, handing the clear box to Gen. "I'll be right back."  
With that, Senku jumped up and headed towards a room at the back of his apartment. He returned a moment later with an ultraviolet torch. On his way back, Senku flicked the lights off, leaving only the dimmed light from the kitchen to illuminate the area. Flicking the torch on, he let its light settle on the rock, and a moment later the orange parts began to glow a beautiful blue colour.

"It's... beautiful." Gen smiled, lifting the box to examine the rock closer. "That's incredible!" He gushed, handing the box back to Senku with a sheepish smile. "Do you... have a rock collection or something?" He asked with a gentle chuckle.

"Nah." Senku responded quickly, placing the box and torch down on the coffee table. "It's my friends birthday in a few days, he collects tonnes of minerals and rocks of all sorts. One he hasn't been able to find is Scheelite, its incredibly rare." He explained, flicking the lights back on.

The Scheelite's glow faded, and returned to its natural colours, much to Gen's dismay. "Oh, that's so sweet of you!" Gen clasped his hands together with a bright smile. "He's very lucky to have a friend like you. It must've been super expensive to get a piece this size, and this beautiful."

Senku just shrugged, "I don't really care about stuff like that. Plus, Chrome and I do a lot of experiments together, and he often let's me use his more common stuff. So, it's just a little 'thank you'." He mumbled, scratching at his cheek. It wasn't often people complimented him, especially with stuff like this. "Plus, I'd like to chip a tiny part off and show it off in a podcast. That is, if Chrome's okay with that." He laughed, eyeing the box on the table.

With a roll of his eyes, Gen giggled sweetly. "Of course you'd want to do that." He smiled, resting his head on Senku's shoulder. "But still, that's a very sweet thing to do. He must be a very good friend of yours." He added, closing his eyes and relaxing. Something about being close to the scientist gave him a sense of comfort, and he wanted to experience that as much as possible. Even after only knowing him a few days, Gen felt as though he could lower his guard, and take off the facade he wore around his fans. It was refreshing.  
Although, he didn't think of Senku as a fan, not even when they first met.

"Hey, uh, Gen?" Senku mumbled, scratching at the back of his neck. He glanced down at the man resting on his shoulder, his heart thumping against his ribcage and his stomach erupting in butterflies. He never once thought he would meet Asagiri Gen. But he had, and Senku never, ever, wasted an opportunity when it came to... well, anything.  
Why should he start now?

The mentalist lifted his head, furrowing his brows with concern as he looked towards Senku. "Yeah?" He asked, his voice soft and inviting.

"When I said I was interested in your work, and what you do..." he started, turning to face Gen fully. Senku took one of Gen's hands in his own, a heavy blush coating his cheeks and ears. "I really meant... I was interested in you." He whispered, averting his eyes. "I know how that sounds, and we barely know each other, but I just thought I should... clarify why I asked you to hang out." He explained, lowering his head to avoid Gen's eyes.

Silence filled the room, the apartment, for a moment, only to be broken by a sweet, gentle chuckle from Gen. "What a relief." He giggled, resting his head down on Senku's shoulder again. "Me too, Senku-chan. I'd like to see where this will go." He mumbled, closing his eyes. "If you want to." Gen added sheepishly.

"Yeah. I'd like that." Senku smiled, lifting his hand to stroke Gen's hair softly. He felt Gen nuzzle closer to him, and smiled.

After a moment, Gen piped up. "Do you want to put the show back on?" Gen asked softly. "It was... actually really good." He blushed.

"Sure, why not." Senku laughed, making Gen's head bounce on his shoulder slightly. He found the show once more and pressed play, leaning against the back of the sofa and offering his chest as a pillow to Gen once more.

After a few more episodes of Doraemon, the two decided to call it a night and Gen took residence in Senku's spare bedroom for the night.  
Gen tossed and turned that night, struggling to fall asleep as he thought about the days events. He was thrilled, nervous, excited, anxious; and having all these emotions swirling inside him was making his brain go chaotic.  
But, he eventually fell asleep, a large smile on his face as he thought about getting to know the scientist in the room next door.

Senku woke up the next morning, and the first thing he noticed was the spare bedrooms door was ajar. He pushed it open, seeing the bed made neatly and a note sat atop it.

**Thank you for yesterday, I had a lot of fun. I'd love to do it again sometime, but perhaps a date.**   
**Only if you'd like to, of course.**   
**~ Gen**

Senku smiled to himself, picking up the note and folding it neatly to fit in his back pocket, before going about his day.  
His smile never faltered once for the rest of the day.


	9. First Date

It had been a week since Gen stayed at Senku's, and the two had been texting daily; getting to know each other, asking about each others days, and overall, just chatting. Both were enjoying their daily chats, and it had become a bit of a habit by now. A good morning text here, a question about their work there, and a sneaky little flirt every now and then.  
Ukyo had noticed the obvious smile on his best friends face, and to say he was happy about it was an understatement. He hadn't seen Gen this happy about a guy, well, ever.

"So, when are you and Senku having your date? Will I need to clear out for the night?" Ukyo pestered Gen, poking at his shoulder as Gen tried to text Senku.

Gen slapped his hands away softly, a playful scowl on his face. "We're going out tonight actually." Gen smiled. "And no, you won't have to clear out. We'll be staying out over-night." He rolled his eyes, nudging Ukyo with his shoulder. Gen checked the time on his phone, a smile forming on his face. "I should probably get ready. He'll be here in about an hour." Gen mumbled, hiding his excitement, standing up and heading for the bathroom to shower.

An hour later, there was a knock on the front door and Gen was still in his room getting dressed. Ukyo was quick to open the front door, a sweet smile on his face. "Hi! Gen should be out in a second." He told Senku, opening the door to let him in. "Come on in, I'll grab him for you."

Senku stepped through the door, swallowing the lump that had risen in his throat. "Thanks." He mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets awkwardly.

"Oooh, Gen!" Ukyo called, happily skipping through the apartment and knocking on Gen's door. "There's someone here for you." He sang, teasing the other.

Gen opened the door slowly, chewing at his bottom lip. "Do I look okay?" He whispered, looking down at what he wore; white jeans, his signature purple turtleneck, and his black Van's again. Comfortable, casual, and cute. "M-maybe I should chan-"

"You look adorable!" Ukyo squealed, grabbing onto Gen's wrist and pulling him towards the living room. "Now come on, go have fun. Don't stay up too late!" He laughed, pushing Gen towards the confused scientist that still stood by the front door.

"Yes, mum." Gen rolled his eyes, grabbing his coat off the hook and slipping it on. "Hey, Senku-chan." He smiled towards his date, his heart racing.

Senku offered him a small smile, "hey, Mentalist. You ready?" He chuckled, earning a nod from Gen.

"See ya tomorrow Ukyo-chan!" Gen called as he and Senku stepped out of the apartment, shutting the door behind them. 

Gen didn't fully know where Senku was taking him, all he knew was that Senku had booked a place for the night and they'd be staying there. It was a big step, but Gen was happy to take it. Senku had told Gen to pack a blanket and some food, and he had done the same.   
The two hopped out of the taxi at the edge of a large, open field, with only one building stationed in the centre. An observatory. The night sky was clear for miles, not a trace of light pollution as far as the eye could see. It was absolutely breathtaking.

"Wow, Senku-chan, this is..." Gen couldn't find the right word, and a heavy blush coated his cheeks as he turned to face the scientist. His eyes softened as he saw Senku staring up at the sky, his mouth slightly ajar in awe as he gazed longingly at the stars. "Beautiful." Gen muttered, talking about both the sky and the man by his side.

Senku snapped out of his little trance and looked over at Gen with a smile. "Come on." He chuckled, excitement evident in his voice as he took Gen's hand in his and pulled the mentalist along. "I haven't been here in years. But it hasn't changed at all." Senku mumbled, looking up at the box-like building with a large telescope sticking out the top.  
The two climbed the stairs, their hands still locked together, and Senku pulled a key out of his pocket to unlock the facility.

Gen giggled, following him inside. The scientist set his bag down by the telescope, looking over his shoulder at Gen. The white walls were covered in posters and leaflets, all with information about the stars and space, even some zodiac symbols and facts lined the walls. "This place is amazing!" Gen placed his own bag by Senku's, before rushing over to the scientist and taking his hands in his own. "Thank you so much for bringing me here." He smiled brightly, squeezing Senku's hands tightly.

Senku eyed their joined hands, his face heating up from the contact. "It's... not a problem, Mentalist." He smirked, hiding his embarrassment. "You said you wanted to know more about space, so I thought this would be fun." Senku explained, rubbing his thumbs along the back of Gen's hands.

"It's perfect!" Gen tilted his head, meeting Senku's eyes with a loving expression. "Really, thank you, Senku-chan." He gazed around the large tower-like room, his eyes growing wide as he took everything in. They hadn't even set up the telescope yet, and Gen was already wowed by the date Senku had planned.

"Come on, let's set up." Senku smiled, squeezing Gen's hands softly before slipping out of his grasp. He headed over to the telescope, fiddling around with a few things and putting his eye up to the lense to find a specific planet. "Come here and look at this." He smiled, stepping away from the telescope and allowing Gen to look through it.

Gen stepped up, peering through the lense and gasping when his vision settled on Saturn and the beautiful rings surrounding the planet. As Gen pulled away, he backed into something, and quickly spun around to see Senku standing behind him. "S-sorry." He chuckled awkwardly, lowering his gaze.

"It's fine. What did you think? Saturn's one of the most beautiful planets in out system. Sure, Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus all have rings; but nothing compares to the size and brightness of Saturn's." He explained, wrapping an arm around Gen's waist and pulling him closer.

Gen was surprised by Senku's sudden actions, but offered him a loving smile in return as he slowly wrapped his arms around Senku's neck. "Show me more?" Gen asked softly, glancing over his shoulder at the telescope. "The other planets in our solar system are all so different from our own. I'd love to see them all. I'd love to know more about them." His voice trailed off into a whisper as his eyes found Senku again, trailing over every detail of his face.  
His eyes glowed in the dim light of the observatory, and his pale skin was more defined by the shadows that were casted. He was a masterpiece, and Gen couldn't believe he was only a few inches away from leaning in and placing his lips against Senku's. But, he held himself back. It would be too rushed, and Gen was enjoying the time with the scientist too much to want to ruin it. 

"I'd be happy to show you them all." Senku smiled longingly towards the mentalist, before ducking out of Gen's grasp and nudging him out of the way so he could fiddle around with the telescope. 

Gen happily waited patiently, his hands clasped behind his back as he watched Senku work his own kind of magic. This type of magic wasn't fantasy, or a trick of the mind like Gen was so used to. No, this type of magic was easily overlooked by many people.  
Senku's own type of magic was nothing more than the beauty of his scientific knowledge. Knowledge he was more than happy to share with the world; with Gen.  
The mentalist pulled out his phone quickly, giggling as he snapped a photo of Senku playing around with the telescope. He quickly pulled up Twitter, posting the photo with an adorable caption.

_**"Saturday nights in an observatory with the one and only mad scientist, /Ishigami_Senku."** _

Senku's phone pinged in his pocket, and he pulled it out to check. A moment later, Senku looked over at Gen, who had a cheeky smile on his face. "You're crazy." He sighed, shaking his head with a small smile. "Both of our fanbases are going to go nuts seeing this."

"I can take it down if you'd like." Gen offered, looking down at the tweet on his phone.

Senku shook his head, quickly typing something, and Gen's phone pinged. "Nah, leave it." He chuckled, tucking his phone back into his pocket.

Gen tapped on the notification, opening up the comment Senku had re-tweeted his post with.

_**"I dragged /Asagiri_Gen to this observatory tonight. Clear skies for miles."** _

"Cute." Gen smiled, liking the post with a bright smile. "Now, tell me all about space!" He giggled, putting his phone away and giving his full attention to the scientist.


	10. First Date Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's taken so long to update, it might be a while before the next update too.  
> I've been going through some personal stuff recently and its just been one thing after another.  
> Thank you for reading,  
> And again, I'm sorry it's taking so long to update.  
> Please enjoy :)

Senku and Gen stayed up until sun-rise, with the scientist listing off fact after fact about the planets, the stars, and the known universe. Gen eagerly listened to every word, his eyes sparkling as he took in the information Senku had given him. Senku looked so peaceful as he used the telescope, finding constellations and planets to show Gen, almost as if he felt right at home. The mentalist enjoyed watching him and listening to him ramble on; he found it hard to ignore a single word Senku said.  
But, as the sun came up and the stars faded away into the light, the two finally settled down, using the blankets and pillows they had bought to camp out for the remainder of the night.  
Gen leant against the wall, tapping the spot between his legs for Senku to sit down. He was reluctant, but eventually obliged and sat with his back against Gen's chest, resting his head on the older mans shoulder. Gen smiled, wrapping his arms around Senku's waist and holding his phone out to put a show on to fall asleep watching. Avatar: The Last Airbender is what Gen had chosen, and as they lay cuddled up with each other, Senku dozed off fairly quickly; relaxing into Gen's embrace and the feeling of Gen brushing his fingers through the scientist's hair.  
As Senku drifted off, he thought about only one thing. He had never once expected to enjoy these small gestures of affection, let alone anything romantic, but laying in Gen's arms let his mind shut up for a while. And, he loved it.  
It was one of the best nights sleep he had had in years.

When Senku woke up he slowly opened his eyes, looking up to see Gen still below him, his arms wrapped tightly around the scientist's waist. His mouth was hanging open slightly and his hair was a little messy, making him look absolutely adorable to Senku.  
Gen felt the other shifting, trying to escape his grasp without waking Gen up, but failing miserably. "Good morning, Senku-chan." Gen yawned, loosening his arms and allowing Senku to escape his embrace, much to his disappointment. "Are my cuddles not good enough for you?" He pouted.

Senku stood up and stretched his arms above his head, hearing many satisfying pops and cracks sound down his spine. "Idiot." He grumbled playfully, running his fingers through his messy hair. He tried to pat it down, but was unsuccessful, having strands sticking out at all angles.

"Come here, let me do it." Gen offered, following Senku's actions and stretching as well, before gesturing to the spot in front of him. Senku sat down with a pout, crossing his arms. "Aww, don't pout, Senku-chan!" He giggled, pulling a comb from his bag.  
Senku allowed Gen to brush through his hair, ridding the knots and straightening the stray strands. He had to admit, it felt amazing. Gen was so gentle and tender as he brushed his hair in silence, concentrating on the task at hand. Senku found himself leaning back into Gen's touch, and a soft red tint dusted across his face. "There! All done." Gen smiled, leaning forward to rest his head over Senku's shoulder.

"Thanks." Senku mumbled sheepishly, bumping his head against Gen's softly with a chuckle.

Gen pouted and pulled away, "ow! Senku-chan, that was so mean!" He cried teasingly, poking at the back of Senku's head. Gen reached for his phone, that had ended up next to their make-shift bed, and unlocked it to see countless messages from his friends.  
Ryusui, Ukyo and Tsukasa had all replied to his tweet from the night before, as well as sending many questions about how the date was going. Gen quickly responded with an apology for not replying sooner, as well as telling them he would fill them in later on. He was quick to receive multiple replies, each pestering him but agreeing to meet up at Ukyo and Gen's apartment later.

"That photo from last night is trending." Senku muttered, having picked up his own phone to check the time and any missed texts. Taiju, Chrome and Lillian had all wished him luck with his date, and he couldn't help but smile.

Gen raised his brows and opened Twitter to see the photo of Senku looking through the telescope had reached 3rd on the trending page. "It's because it's a nice shot of your ass." He smirked, scrolling through some of the replies. Many were asking if they were dating, while others thought it was the start of a beautiful friendship. There had even been a few links posted to other images, of Senku and Gen together in public. Gen didn't mind, he was used to the fans by now. "Some people have already asked if we're dating." Gen laughed, showing Senku a comment.

**"Are they dating!? Omg! Please tell me they're dating!!"**

The comment made Senku chuckle, and he tapped the like button, making Gen like the comment. "Senku-chan!" Gen squealed, quickly undoing the interaction.

"Revenge for the photo." He smirked, shifting to fully face Gen. The mentalist pouted and locked his phone, shoving it back into his bag. Senku watched him, taking in his appearance. His hair was still a little messy from only waking up a few minutes ago, but his eyes held that regular mischievous glint to them. Without realising, Senku reached out and grasped Gen's hand in his own, lacing their fingers together. "Thank you." He mumbled, lowering his head to hide his reddening cheeks. "Last night was a lot of fun. And it gave me an excuse to come up here again." He whispered.

A soft giggle made him look up, and Gen lifted their joined hands, brushing his lips against Senku's knuckles. "I had fun too." He smiled, leaving a gentle kiss against the back of Senku's hand. "Thank you for showing me this place. I had no idea there was an observatory this close to home." Gen admitted, rubbing his thumb over the others hand soothingly. 

They stayed at the observatory for a while longer, enjoying the silence they didn't get in the city. But, all things come to an end, and eventually Senku's booking was up.  
The taxi ride home was quiet, but their hands remained locked together between them. Every now and then they would glance at each other with a sheepish smile, their cheeks staining red. Gen was the first stop, and he pulled out some cash to pay for the taxi since Senku had paid for the observatory booking. "It's been fun, thank you again, Senku-chan." Gen giggled, picking up his bag and stepping out of the car. "Thank you sir." He smiled at the taxi driver, who offered him a polite nod. "I'll text you later, have a good day." Gen smiled as he shut the door, waving as the taxi drove off.

The moment Gen stepped through the front door of his apartment, he was surrounded by his friends. Each of them were watching him expectantly, and he just sighed, shaking his head with a tired smile. "Well? How was it?" Ukyo asked, eagerly awaiting the details of Gen's date.

"It was amazing." Gen replied easily, shrugging his shoulders. He put his bag down and took his coat off before pushing through his friends and heading for the kitchen. His little audience followed him, wanting a more in depth answer. "We stayed up until sun-rise, just watching the stars and he taught me so much about space. It was fascinating." He chuckled, pulling out a bottle of cola from the fridge. "We cuddled when we decided to sleep. It wasn't comfortable, since we were on the floor, but it was really nice." Gen continued, popping the cap off of the glass bottle and lifting it to his lips.

"Yeah, but did you guys kiss?" Ryusui asked, slamming a hand down on the island excitedly. Gen just shook his head, a heavy blush dusting his cheeks. Ryusui was disappointed by his response. "Are you going to go out with him again?" He asked.

Gen thought for a moment, his lips curling into a small smile that he tried to hide. He wanted to go out with Senku again, and hopped the scientist wanted to as well. It was a lot of fun, and he genuinely enjoyed the others company. "I'd like to." He finally nodded, his smile growing to reach his eyes.

"Aren't you having a party on your yacht, Ryusui?" Tsukasa piped up, a devious smirk forming on his face as he turned to the blond.

"I am, Tsukasa." He caught on quickly, snapping his fingers and smirking. "Gen, why don't you invite your boyfriend?"

Gen almost choked on his drink, and started coughing as he lowered the bottle. Tears pricked at his eyes as he banged his fist against his chest, all the while a deep red blush covered his entire face. "He's not my boyfriend." He finally breathed out, calming his racking chest. "But... I'll think about it." He mumbled, tucking his bangs behind his ear awkwardly. "I don't think he's much of a party person though. And he might feel uncomfortable, since he wouldn't know anyone." Gen rambled on.

The tall blond just laughed knowingly, making Gen freeze. "Then tell him to invite some of his friends. Everyone's invited, after all."


	11. Big Oaf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This might be a little bit OOC for both Senku and Taiju, but I wrote it while a little drunk (dont worry, I'm of age in my country :)) so please excuse the self-indulgent side of this part.  
> I just loved this little draft I've had for so long, it wasn't a SenGen fic, just more Taiju asking Senku this important question. I didn't have much to go with, so I decided to put in in this fic.

The day after the date, Senku was woken up to a call from one of his close friends. "Senku!" The brunette yelled down the phone, making the scientist roll over in his bed and groan. It was bad enough waking up to a phone call, but waking up to Taiju yelling was another thing all together. "I'm coming over today. Yuzuriha is going to get her hair done with Kohaku, so you're gonna fill me in on yesterday." Taiju called, his loud, boisterous voice waking Senku up properly.

"Right. The date." Senku mumbled, sitting up and hanging his head. "Yeah, come over. I'm awake now anyway." He grumbled, glaring at the clock by his bed that read 8:54am.

Taiju laughed bashfully, "sorry for waking you! I'll see you in a bit." He told Senku before hanging up.

The scientist groaned and flopped back down onto his bed, closing his eyes and taking in the warmth from his sheets. He really, _really_ , didn't want to get up. His craving for a coffee was the only reason Senku eventually dragged himself out of bed and to his bathroom. After a shower and his regular morning routine, he headed for the kitchen and put the coffee pot on to brew. He leant against the counter, scrolling through twitter while he waited for the coffee to finish.

_**"Still getting used to being home. I don't move hotels every other day anymore :'D."** _

The tweet was accompanied by a video of Gen searching his wallet and pockets for a key card he didn't possess.

 _"Have you checked your wallet?"_ The amused voice of Ukyo, who was filming, asked.

 _"Of course I have Ukyo-chan!"_ Gen cried, running his hands down his face. A second later, he froze, before his head slowly lifted up with a steely glare towards the cameraman. _"Ukyo..."_ He pressed his lips into a thin line, holding back an outburst of laughter. _"You absolute-"_ the video was cut short as Gen reached for the phone, probably about to tackle Ukyo for embarrassing him.

Senku found himself smiling, and quickly tapped the like button.

" _ **Idiot.**_ "

The scientist left a comment, before tucking his phone back into his pocket and pouring a mug of black coffee. With his mug, Senku headed for the lounge, taking a seat on the sofa and turning the tv on.  
He spend most of his morning just channel surfing, settling on anything he found somewhat interesting. But, before long, Senku heard the familiar sound of keys jingling and his front door opened. "Hey dude!" Taiju yelled as he walked into Senku's apartment.

"Hey, Big Oaf." Senku called back. The old nickname Senku had given Taiju had stuck through high school, and even through university. It was rare for Senku to use it now, but it rolled off his tongue almost habitually. "Coffee's just brewed, help yourself." He shifted on the sofa, turning towards the doorway leading to his front door.

A head of brown hair came into view a second later, accompanied by a large grin. "You're the best!" Taiju cheered, instantly heading for the kitchen. After a minute, he returned with a steaming cup of, no doubt, overly sweetened black coffee.  
The two sat in silence for a while, each just slowly sipping their coffee and watching the daily news and weather report. "So, I've been meaning to talk to you about something." Taiju spoke up, lowering his mug and facing Senku. The scientist offered a nod, showing he was paying attention and allowed Taiju to continue. "Yuzuriha and I are getting married." He breathed out with a shy smile.

"You mean, like I told you, she said yes?" Senku smirked, leaning back against the arm of the sofa.

Taiju nodded, his head lowering to try and hide his growing blush. "Yeah." He chuckled, happily bewildered. Senku smiled softly towards Taiju, but hid it behind his coffee mug. "Will you be my best man?" He asked, sheepishly scratching the back of his neck.

The scientist rolled his eyes with a smirk as he took a sip of coffee. As he lowered the mug, he noticed Taiju anxiously awaiting an answer. "Oh, you actually wanted me to answer?" He laughed, shaking of his. "Of course I will be, idiot."

"Thank you, Senku." The brunette smiled over at his childhood best friend, lifting his mug to his lips. After taking a long sip of sweet black coffee, Taiju turned his attention back to Senku. "So, how was your date?" He asked.

"It was... actually a lot of fun." Senku smiled sheepishly, his eyes clouding over as he thought about the date. "I don't think it could've gone better honestly." He added, meeting Taiju's soft stare as he listened to Senku.

The brunette nodded, smiling brightly, "I thought so!" He beamed, puffing his chest out confidently. "You never tweet about anything." Taiju laughed, shaking his head. A moment later, silence followed them, and Taiju watched the other as Senku's mind drifted off. He watched as another, larger, smile graced Senku's face, leaving soft crinkles around his eyes. Taiju had never seen that smile before, the smile of his love-struck friend. "I'm happy for you." He finally spoke out, his comment bringing Senku back to reality.

"What makes you say that?" The scientist asked, setting his mug down on the table and curling up on the sofa.

Taiju let out a breathy chuckle. "You're my best bud, and you've had your first date. And it's made you this happy. That makes me happy." He explained, gazing at Senku softly. "You deserve this."

Senku lifted his head to look at Taiju, his cheeks turning a soft pink. It was an odd sight, seeing Taiju so calm and gentle, but it made Senku believe his words so much easier. For a moment Senku didn't know what to say in response. "Thank you, Taiju." Senku whispered, resting his head on his knees with a soft sigh. For some reason, it felt as though a weight had been lifted from Senku's shoulders; leaving him feeling somewhat relieved.

"You took him to the observatory, huh?" Taiju asked, his usual bubbly and boisterous tone returning quickly.

Senku nodded, "yeah, I thought it would be nice." He muttered quietly. "I hadn't been there in years, and Gen wanted to learn about space." Senku shrugged nonchalantly, but even with the cool and composed act, his cheeks would not stop burning.

"You should ask him out again." Taiju blurted out suddenly, making Senku tense up.

"What? It's not even been a day."

"Exactly! Show him you're eager, and that you enjoyed your date, and ask him out for coffee or something." Taiju smirked happily, putting his mug down and crossing his arms smugly.

Senku rolled his eyes, shifting to stretch his legs out and his arms over his head. "Maybe." He stifled a yawn.

"You should ask him to be your date to the wedding!" The brunette announced quickly, beaming at the stunned scientist by his side. "If... you guys are still dating at that point." He added sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

"Again, maybe."

Taiju just rolled his eyes, slouching back against the sofa and finishing his coffee. Once he emptied his mug, Taiju grabbed Senku's phone from the table. "Come on. Call him." He demanded, tossing the phone softly to Senku.

"Right now?" The scientist sighed, picking up his phone. Taiju nodded and Senku let out a groan, before standing up. "Fine. Fine. But wait here." Senku stood up and headed for his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

After a few minutes of debating whether or not he should actually call, Senku finally hit the phone icon. And, a second later, Gen answered the phone. "Hey, Senku-chan!" Gen's cheerful voice echoed through the phone, making Senku's stomach erupt with butterflies.

"Hey, Mentalist." He smirked, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was hoping you'd like to get a coffee tomorrow? Or... whenever works for you." Senku mumbled sheepishly.

"Oh, Senku-chan, I'd love to!" Gen giggled, and Senku swears his heart fluttered. "Tomorrow sounds perfect. Shall we say, meet at midday?" He asked.

Senku nodded, even though he knew Gen couldn't see him. "Yeah, sounds great." He chuckled softly. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"See you tomorrow!"

With that, Senku hung up and ran his hands down his face as he flopped back onto his bed. For a while, he just stared up at the ceiling, wondering when he had become so smitten by the mentalist.  
The day Senku first saw his interview? Sure, that was the first time he had ever found someone attractive, but it didn't make his stomach do flips or his heart skip a beat.  
The day Senku read his book? When he had fallen in love with the topics and tone, as well as finding the subject fascinating in itself? Senku had always had a weak spot for knowledge.  
Or, maybe it was when Senku actually sat in the audience at Gen's show, seeing the man in the dazzling suit right in front of his eyes. When Senku had watched the mentalist perform mind tricks and illusions, making the scientist stay up most of the night working out the how behind each and every one of Gen's tricks?

A loud knock startled him back to reality, and a second later Taiju opened the door. "What did he say? Are you going out tomorrow?" He asked, stepping through the threshold of Senku's bedroom.

"He said yes." Senku stated softly, trying to stop the goofy smile that spread across his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said in the previous chapter, it might still be a while for a proper SenGen chapter, but I have a beautiful idea for the wedding and an even better SenGen date for said wedding all drafted up for a future chapter too ;) :)  
> I hope you enjoyed this part <3


	12. Coffee Date

The next morning, Gen was woken up to a knocking on his bedroom door. Reluctantly, he slowly pushed himself up, pushing his hair from his eyes. "Yeah?" He groggily called out, sitting up and looking towards the door as he yawned.

His door swung open to reveal Ukyo and Ryusui standing in the door frame. "Good morning." Ukyo giggled, stepping into Gen's room and leaning against the wall.

"Morning, Gen." Ryusui piped up, already sitting on Gen's bed with a cheery smile. The bi-colour haired man rubbed his eyes, awaiting the reason why they disturbed his sleep. "Ukyo's been helping me plan that party. We're going to do it next weekend." Ryusui explained, already showing his excitement. "It's also ten, so we thought you'd want to get up." He added in a sing-song tone as he stood up.

Gen nods, "thanks." He mumbled, pulling the sheets off him and getting out of bed. With that, the two left Gen to get ready for the day.  
After brushing his teeth and hair, having a shower and getting dressed, Gen headed straight for the kitchen for a cup of coffee to wake himself up. Gen always enjoyed the scent more than the taste when it came to black coffee, but he usually drank it to get a caffeine boost in the mornings. Otherwise it was usually something sweet, or a flowery tea.  
Gen eventually joined Ukyo and Ryusui on the sofa's, sitting in silence as they discussed a band to hire for the event. "What about karaoke?" Gen suggested with a shrug, flicking through his phone.

The two looked at each other with a bright smile, "Gen! You're a genius." Ryusui laughed, "ooh this will be fun." He smirked.

The three began chatting about who to invite, and on food to be served, as well as an open bar. Ryusui's party's were never complete without an open bar.  
Gen checked his phone, and saw the time. It was already 11:30am; meaning he needed to leave.  
"This has been fun, but I've got a date." Gen smirked smugly before sticking his tongue out and standing up. "I'll see you both later!" He called, heading for the front door to put his shoes on.

"Bye! Have fun!" Ukyo and Ryusui called in sync, before laughing with each other. Gen chuckled and rolled his eyes, before opening the door and heading out.

Gen was stood outside Senku's apartment half an hour later, his throat tight and his fist hovering over the door. Last time he had been here was when they watched Doraemon, before they were even actually dating. It made his heart race in his chest.  
He swallowed the lump of anxiety bubbling inside him and knocked on the door before stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets. A few minutes later, the door swung open to reveal Senku. Gen would've been fine, perhaps even been able to say hello, if it wasn't for Senku's shirt being unbuttoned half way. He was lean, but well-built, with pale skin and freckles across his chest. And all Gen seemed to be able to do, was stare. After a moment, he realized what he was doing and turned his gaze away, feeling his cheeks heating up.  
"H-hey, Senku-chan." He stuttered, scratching the back of his neck.

"Hey Mentalist. Come in, I'll be ready in a sec." Senku chuckled awkwardly, noticing Gen's reddening face. He swung the door open and allowed Gen to step inside.  
Gen waited in the living room, taking a seat on the plush sofa. His attention was drawn to a small chunk of orange rock that sat on the coffee table with a torch and a camera next to it. A soft chuckle escaped Gen's throat as he realized Senku had probably been filming something before their date.  
"Sorry about that." Senku mumbled sheepishly as he stepped out of the bathroom. By now, he was fully dressed and ready to head out.

"It's quite alright." Gen squealed out, being startled by Senku's voice. "I see Chrome let you chip a bit of that rock off." He chuckled, smiling towards the scientist.

Senku nodded, leaning against the door frame that lead to the hallway. "Yeah, he did." He smiled, his gaze settling on the rock. "You ready?" Senku asked, pushing off the frame and offering Gen a hand up.  
The mentalist gladly accepted, and was pulled to his feet by Senku, who kept his hand in Gen's and laced their fingers together. Gen noticed the dark red blush staining Senku's cheeks, but he decided not to comment. He felt just as embarrassed, but he wasn't going to pull his hand away. Instead, to show he didn't mind, Gen squeezed Senku's hand softly as they left the apartment. A wave of relief washed over Senku when he felt the reassuring squeeze against his palm, and soon relaxed. 

By the time they arrived at the cafe, a light fog had risen, and a heavy rain had started. The temperature had dropped drastically, and as they approached the small building their paces quickened. Senku was slightly ahead, pulling Gen along by their linked hands. The mentalist made sure to not trip, his hand tightly grasping Senku's as he followed behind.  
As they reached the glass door, Senku pushed it open with his shoulder and the two scurried inside. Heat flooded over them, and they let out a sigh of relief in the form of a white puff of steam. Gen was the first to laugh, drawing the attention of a few of the customers. But he didn't mind. Senku was quick to join in with Gen's laughter, shaking his head as he dried his face with his sleeves. "I didn't think it was supposed to rain today." Gen chuckled out as his laughter subsided.

"It wasn't." Senku smiled, watching as Gen sorted out the strands of white hair that had stuck to his face. They shrugged their coats off. "What did you want? I can go grab the coffee if you want to find a table." He asked, slinging his coat over his arm.

"Oh, well, thank you. I'll take a mocha, please." He simply smiled, holding out his hand to take Senku's coat. "I'll hook it over a chair for you." Gen chuckled when he noticed Senku's confusion.

The scientist nodded and handed his coat over, and the two parted ways for the moment. Gen found a table in a back corner of the small cafe, and hooked both coats over two chairs. He quickly pulled out his phone, having felt it vibrating in his pocket before entering the cafe.

_Ryusui: 12:03PM - Don't forget to invite him to the party this weekend._

Gen rolled his eyes and slipped his phone back into his pocket. Slouching in his chair, he was suddenly hit with a wave of anxiety. He wanted his friends to get on with Senku, but there was the chance they wouldn't. Not to mention, Senku might just reject his invitation; the scientist didn't seem like a party person.

Senku had made sure to keep an eye on where Gen had gone while he was ordering, and quickly made his way over to the table once their drinks had been made. "One mocha for the mentalist." Senku smirked, placing the cups down on the table.

"Thank you, Senku-chan." Gen smiled up at the scientist to hide his anxiety, tucking his white bangs behind his ear.

"No problem. Now what's up?" Senku plopped down across from Gen, stirring his coffee. When Gen just blinked blankly at him, he chuckled and shook his head. "You seem anxious." He mumbled quietly, only so Gen could hear.

The mentalist felt his jaw go slack as it hung open ever so slightly. Usually he was great at hiding behind a smile, but Senku seems to have seen right through it. "It's nothing, promise." He offered a shy smile, sinking down in his chair a little. "My... friend just asked me to invite you to this party he's having next weekend and..." Gen trailed off, mumbling something that didn't reach Senku's ears.

"What was that?" Senku asked, propping his head against his hand with a teasing smirk. Something about seeing Gen so fidgety and shy made his blood pump. It was exhilarating for Senku.

Gen felt his cheeks heat up and he sighed. "Well, for starters, you don't seem like someone who goes to... Ryusui's type of parties." He mumbled out, earning a nod of agreement from Senku. "Plus, my friends can be very..." Gen paused to think of a word, making the scientist chuckle, "overwhelming."

"You haven't met Taiju yet." Senku let out a breathy laugh. "I highly doubt your friends could be worse than him."

"So... you'll come? You can invite some of your friends too, if you want." Gen smiled sheepishly, playing with a loose thread on his sleeve.

"Sure, why not? It could be fun." Senku nodded, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "Just send me over the details later."


	13. Left With A Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of the coffee date ya'll have been waiting for :)  
> Hope you enjoy it, also, please check notes <3, thank you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had a couple things turn 2020 into a bit of an okay year recently, personally anyway, the world is still messy af.  
> I hope everyone's doing well in this post-lockdown world and remember to stay safe out there. Wear a mask, and sanitize your hands to keep yourself and others safe :)  
> Enough of that, just wanted to let you know that because of some recent events, I wont be continuing to add to this very often. I will not be on hiatus, but more, too preoccupied to write much. I will continue to add a new chapter whenever I can <3  
> Much love, and stay safe!

As the two made their way back to Senku's apartment, Gen told the scientist a bit about his friends. He wanted to make sure Senku wasn't completely overwhelmed when he met them.  
While they walked, Gen brushed his fingers against Senku's hand and a bolt of electricity shot through him. It was different to earlier, maybe because he had reached out this time and initiated the contact. His eyes trailed down to their hands, and he saw Senku's finger twitch slightly; as if he wanted to move it but stopped himself. It was that that made Gen gently grasp Senku's hand in his own, lacing their fingers together.  
Gen glanced up at the blond, meeting a confused and slightly anxious expression. But Gen just smiled and squeezed his hand, reassuring him for the second time that day that he was comfortable. Senku swallowed the lump in his throat, and squeezed the mentalists hand back in return as they continued down the street.

"Then theres Tsukasa-" Gen was cut off as a cold breeze sent a shiver down his spine, and a moment later white specks filled the sky. He stopped walking, his eyes turning towards the grey clouds above them.  
A soft chuckle snapped him out of his dazed like state, and he lowered his gaze back to Senku. Gen smiled as he saw snowflakes littering the scientist's hair, and he knew his was probably just as bad. "What's so funny?" He pouted playfully.

Senku raised a brow, smirking. "It's like you've never seen snow before." He snickered, teasing the other.

"I have!" Gen mumbled sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "But... it's just so pretty. I love the snow, winter is my favourite season. Its perfect to just snuggle up in a bundle of blankets and watch a movie." His cheeks stung against the cold breeze as they filled with heat.

The scientist rolled his eyes, "well, come on then. We can watch something back at my place." Senku suggested with a shrug, pulling Gen softly by their locked hands. "Unless, you've got something better to do?"

Gen smiled brightly at Senku's suggestion, and eagerly shook his head no in response to the question. "That sounds amazing." He beamed, clutching onto Senku's arm.  
He was slightly taken by surprise at Gen's actions, but Senku didn't move away. It was rather enjoyable, and he liked the feeling of Gen's warmth. It was comforting, and safe.

By the time they arrived back at Senku's apartment, the snow had started to come down a lot heavier, leaving both men slightly wet and cold. As they stepped into the warm apartment, Gen let out a loud sigh of relief. "What's that about your favourite season being winter?" Senku nudged him with a laugh before taking his coat off. 

"Oh shush." Gen stuck his tongue out and followed Senku's lead in removing his jacket. He hung it up next to Senku's and followed the scientist into the lounge.

"Coffee?" Senku asked, heading towards the kitchen. Gen nodded eagerly, making Senku smile softly.  
Senku had grown rather fond of Gen behind closed doors: when he wasn't acting on stage in a dazzling suit. Or accepting an award. Or being interviewed. Behind closed doors, Gen was more than just a pretty face on tv that Senku had taken an instant interest in. When Gen could just be himself, and let his guard down, that's the side Senku had taken a liking to. And every time they hung out, or would go on a date, Senku could feel himself craving Gen's presence even more.

Gen waited patiently in the lounge, taking a seat on the plush sofa. He quickly pulled out his phone, noticing the many texts he had from his friends group chat. It wasn't anything important, just Ryusui going on about the party. He quickly sent a text back, saying he'll catch himself up on everything when he's home and slid his phone back into his pocket.  
Just then, Senku stepped through the door from the kitchen with two mugs of steaming coffee in his hands. "My, Senku-chan, this looks amazing!" Gen gushed, taking a mug from Senku's hand. Floating atop the coffee was steamed milk, with cinnamon sprinkled on top. "Thank you so much. You spoil me." He chuckled, lifting the mug to his lips to taste the drink. Gen was surprised at the flavour, but loved the mocha and cinnamon combo Senku had made for them.

"It's fine. I'm going to change quickly, but put whatever you want on." Senku passed Gen the remote for the tv before heading off to his bedroom.   
When he returned, Gen was snuggled up on the sofa, his coffee mug in his hands, watching Doraemon from where they had left off. "Good choice." Senku smirked, taking a seat next to the mentalist. Gen glanced over at Senku, noticing the change in clothing. Senku now wore grey jogging bottoms and a baggy, white t-shirt. "What?" He asked with a chuckle, lifting his own mug to his lips.

Gen shook his head gingerly, brushing his bangs behind his ear. "Nothing." He smiled softly, trailing his gaze over Senku as he turned his attention back to the show.

About half an hour later, Senku's phone chimed loudly from its place of the coffee table and he was quick to pick it up. As Senku browsed his messages, Gen quickly excused himself to the bathroom.

Taiju: 3:12PM - A party? Sounds fun!

Kohaku: 3:13PM - Yeah, it also means we can meet this Gen guy ;).

Senku felt his cheeks heat up as he realized Kohaku was right. His phone chimed once more, and another text appeared in the group chat.

Chrome: 3:13PM - I'd love to come, but I'm looking after Suika this weekend.

Senku: 3:14PM - That's fine. I'll send the info over later, he's still here.

A moment later, the mentalist returned from the bathroom, where he had made a call for a taxi to come and pick him up.  
Gen glanced at Senku, noticing the small tint of red on his cheeks and his tiny smile. "Everything okay?" He asked, tilting his head to the side slightly and offering Senku a kind smile.

"Yeah, yeah." Senku chuckled, locking his phone and putting it back on the table. "A few of my friends are up for the party, so..." he trailed off with a shrug, returning the smile Gen shared with him.

"That's great, Senku-chan! I can't wait to meet them." Gen gushed brightly, making Senku's blush darken. "And, on that note, I really should be heading off. Ryu and Ukyo are probably wondering where I am." He giggled softly, smoothing his clothes out.  
Senku followed his lead and the two walked towards the front door. Gen peaked through the window, seeing the snow had stopped by now. "I had a lot of fun today Senku-chan. Thank you for inviting me out." He said softly, grabbing his coat off the rack and slipping it on.

Senku nodded and leant against the wall by the door, crossing his arms. "Yeah, it was nice." He agreed, lazily watching as Gen tied his shoe laces.

As Gen stood back up, the taxi pulled up outside and Gen quickly opened the door. "I'll see you later, Senku-chan. Don't hesitate to call." He said, about to step out the door.

"Hang on." Senku stopped Gen, grabbing onto his hand and pulling him back quickly. Before Gen could release what was happening, Senku left a small peck on his cheek. "Ok, I'll text you later. Bye!" Senku quickly turned around, ready to walk back into his apartment, when he felt two arms wrap around his waist.

Gen rested his head on Senku's shoulder, so his lips were next to his ear, "I'll get you back for that." He whispered, his voice slightly deeper than normal. Gen smirked when he felt Senku tense up against him, and left a peck against Senku's cheek before letting him go. "Bye, Senku-chan!" Gen sang as he closed the door behind him.

Senku was left standing in his hallway, his chest rising and falling with every deep breath he took to calm himself down. The way Gen held him was different to how they cuddled in the observatory. Gen's gentle breath against his skin lingered, leaving a tingling sensation around Senku's ear and neck. The way his voice had deepened a few octaves left Senku feeling a little weak in the knees.  
"How did I let it come to this?" Senku muttered to himself, a small smile lifting his cheeks.  
It was still hard to admit, even to himself, but with each passing day Senku seemed to grow more in love with the idea of loving someone, and caring for someone.  
That someone just happened to be a world-famous mentalist by the name of Asagiri Gen.


End file.
